Bad Boys and Book Nerds
by MPants
Summary: Bella is daydreaming her way through college in the University of Washington library. When she's hooked up on a double date with a quiet, gorgeous man, will her dreams become reality? AU/AH.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

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Bella leaned on the counter, her chin in her hand, and let out a sigh. Working the mid-day shift at the University of Washington library was fun, when school was in session. Once summer hit, however, it was like she was the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust. Why she'd be bumming around a library after everyone else on the planet went up in a puff of irradiated smoke, she couldn't figure. Perhaps it was her strange affinity for boys who were also book nerds. The only male to survive the holocaust would come staggering in one day, looking quite like Mr. Darcy with a severe suntan, thirsting for water … and for her.

Bella sighed again. With her rotten luck, the dude would turn out to be gay.

"Ahem?"

Bella shook herself out of her revelry and looked up into the eyes of one of her regular patrons. Definitely not the Mr. Darcy she'd been dreaming of.

"Hello Mike."

"Bel-la."

Bella hated the way Mike liked to drag the syllables of her name out. It was weird. Creepy. Verging on possessive. It sounded more like something you'd hear coming from a guy wearing a polyester shirt, bell bottoms and gold chains, and sporting a handle-bar moustache, than the well-built football player that stood before her now.

"All right Mike?" Bella knew where this was going. Her imagination, which was continually getting the better of her, led her to a line of dialogue from one of her favorite classic 1990s cartoons:

_What are we doing tonight, Brain?_

_Same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world!_

Mike leaned onto the counter, bringing his face too close to Bella's for comfort. "I'm doing great, now." And he winked.

_Did he really just wink?_ Bella thought as she surreptitiously leaned away from the cloud of cologne rolling her way. _Can he be any more of a stereotype?_

"Um, awesome Mike. Is there anything I can help you with?" Bella grabbed the pile of returned books she needed to scan into the computer and looked at the monitor. Anything to avoid eye contact.

Mike chuckled. To Bella, it sounded more like someone gargling than actual laughter. She wondered to herself if he practiced this whole demeanor each morning before leaving the house.

"It's Friday night, Bells. I took off from practice early to come visit my fav-o-rite librarian."

Bella knew that Mike did a whole lot of "taking off from practice early," because a lot of his practice time involved fetching towels and sitting on the bench. Playing varsity football for a Division 1A high school, even if you were the quarterback three years in a row, did not mean a place in the starting line up come college. Bella had enjoyed Mike's advances during the first of those three years, her first at Forks High, even going to far as to attend the Homecoming dance as his date. When Mike got drunk off of the spiked punch and proceeded to cry the entire way home, Bella figured she was better off lavishing her attentions on more worthy suitors. Unfortunately for her, Forks High was completely out of white knights.

"A bunch of us are going out to Eclipse tonight, Bells." Mike interrupted Bella's train of thought once again. "You know you want to come. I mean, you don't want to miss out on these moves."

Mike stood back from the counter and twirled. Bella snorted, barely keeping her laughter in check. A part of her wanted to admit that Mike wasn't as bad as she always made him out to be, that going out with him "and his friends" might not be totally awful. A bigger part, however, knew that these thoughts were just stemming from the fact that she was totally, utterly, lonely.

The phone rang, saving Bella from having to form yet another awkward refusal. Mike either didn't realize Bella's continually busy Friday nights were a web of lies and deceit, or he didn't care. Bella picked up the phone and chuckled, knowing it was most certainly the former.

"U-Dubs Library, reference desk?"

"What's so funny?"

Alice. _Thank God_.

"Oh, you know. It's Friday afternoon. The goon-squad captain is here, as usual."

"Seriously? Mike's still coming in?"

"I don't think he quite believed your assertions that I was going to be busy every Friday night for the rest of time, Alice. As much as I love you for trying."

"Is that Alice?" Mike bellowed; his "dancing" had taken him halfway across the room.

Bella nodded in his direction, raising a finger to her lips. _Does he not realize this is a library? _Bella shook her head. _Probably not. It's not like he's ever come in here for a book._

"Tell her to come too," he shouted. "The more the merrier!"

"Gah. Does he not realize the whole 'quiet in the library' thing?" Alice snorted. _Mind bullets._

Bella answered her with a sigh. "He wants me to go to some place called Eclipse, Al. He said to invite you too."

"Eclipse?" Alice paused. "You would not like it there Bells. It's all sweaty bodies and bad techno. Trust me."

Bella always trusted Alice. Her feelings, "premonitions" as she liked to refer to them, had an eerie way of always coming mostly true.

"It's not like I was going to say yes Alice," Bella chided. "Don't we have a date for tonight?"

Alice squealed into the receiver, causing Bella to wince and pull the phone away from her ear.

"I kind of need my hearing, Al."

Alice's squeal of delight turned into laughter on the other end of the line. Ignoring Bella's sarcasm, she said, "I'll pick you up at seven, love," and hung up the phone.

"Bye Alice," Bella muttered to the dial tone. Alice was her best friend, but she wasn't known for her patience.

As she placed the phone back on its cradle, Bella realized Mike had returned to his too-close position and was leaning across the counter . The scent of "Eau De Trying Too Hard" once again wafted into her personal space, causing Bella to wrinkle her nose.

"Was that Alice?" he asked, again.

"Yep," Bella hoped to keep this rejection short. "She and I already have plans for tonight, Mike, so I can't go with you to Eclipse." Feigning an apologetic smile, she added, "I'm really sorry."

A dejected look crossed Mike's face. Bella fought the urge to pat the top of his head, like she would a lost puppy.

"Aw, man," Mike moaned, "That's too bad. I hear the club is rockin'!" He smiled. Obviously the hurt feelings he had displayed mere seconds before didn't run too deep.

A loud voice called through the sliding glass doors at the front of the building. "Mike! Dude, c'mon already!" _That'd be Tyler_, Bella thought. Co-captain of the goon squad.

"Bella," Mike started backing from the counter at the sound of Tyler's call. "Next Friday, you and me, Eclipse." He cocked both hands into the shape of pistols and shot at her, mimicking the noises a ray-gun would make.

"Sure, sure Mike." Bella said, to no one in particular. Mike had already retreated through the doors.

Realizing she was sighing, again, for what was probably the twentieth time in an hour, Bella berated herself. _I really need to get a life._

"Only a half-hour to go, Bells." A tall, lanky guy strode up to the counter. "Where's your boyfriend?" Placing a pile of books next to the computer, Jasper, her "boss" and long-time friend, ran a hand through the mop of blonde hair he _swore_ made the ladies crazy. Bella certainly hoped it would make one lady crazy, tonight in particular.

"Hey Jasper." Bella stuck out her tongue in his general direction. "You just missed him. You _always_ just miss him. I swear, if I was a paranoid person, I might think you enjoy leaving me to deal with Mike myself."

Jasper pretended to be shocked. "My word, Miss Swan. What do you take me for, some sort of cad who leaves innocent ladies to the devious devices of rotten scoundrels?"

When Jasper was being sarcastic, Bella had learned during their three-year friendship, his southern accent came out. And at the moment, Jasper sounded straight off of _Dallas_.

"Mr. Whitlock," Bella attempted to match his demeanor, "I do believe you owe me a debt of thanks for what's about to transpire this fine evening. The least you could do is protect my honor by fending off Mr. Newton's untoward advances. "

Jasper was laughing so hard at Bella's attempted portrayal of a southern belle that he nearly fell over.

Bella couldn't help but laugh herself. There was a reason she wasn't majoring in theatre.

"So I really have to go on this thing tonight?" Jasper's face was slowly turning back to a normal shade, rather than the nearly purple it had been while he was laughing. "I mean, Alice sounds like a great girl, but you know how I am around people I don't know."

"I still can't understand how you two have never met. She's been my roommate for nearly a year."

"Does she ever come into the library?"

Bella snickered. Thinking of her pixie-like roommate reading anything other than the latest issue of Cosmo or the myriad of Parisian fashion magazines that were delivered to their apartment each month was a funny mental picture. "Alice really isn't a 'classic literature' kind of girl, Jazz."

"And yet you think we're going to hit it off?"

"I do." _So does Alice_, Bella thought. She wasn't going to tell Jasper that, however. No need to make the guy more nervous than he already was.

"Speaking of, she'll be waiting for me outside. Can I clock off a little early? We have to get ready."

Jasper looked at Bella, who was wearing her normal uniform of jeans and a sweater. "Since when do you 'get ready' for anything?"

Bella gave him a playful smack on the arm. "Since Alice is making me."

"Again, I have to ask, you really think we'll hit it off?" Jasper was a low-maintenance kind of guy. T-shirt, jeans, the occasional button-up when he had to be fancy. The low-key look and the bed-head worked for him. Alice, on the other hand, was a total fashion plate. Bella dreaded their monthly trip to the mall. Alice would inevitably come back to the apartment with arms full of bags to add to her already overflowing closet. But, as they say, opposites do attract.

_And these two are going to be like rare-earth magnets._ Bella smiled.

"I do, Jasper, I do."

Bella jogged to the library's offices and clocked out. On her way toward the exit, she stopped and yelled at Jasper. "Hey Jasper, what's your friend's name again? The one you're bringing with you tonight?"

"Edward, Bella. I've told you this before. Edward Cullen."

"Right, right." Bella shouted as she left the building. "See you later, Jazz!"

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**A/N: So, are you intrigued? Signed reviews are appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: I am utterly and completely overwhelmed with the response to my first chapter. I was thinking 2, maybe 3 reviews, but 27?! You guys are amazing. You totally made my week. Thank you ALL for being so awesome. I was going to save this chapter for tomorrow (I'd _like _to post on a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule, but please, don't hold me to that. I promise I will try.), but since it's done ... I don't want to keep you all waiting.**

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_Why did I let Jasper talk me into this?_

Lost in thought, Edward nearly ran over a small brunette as he made his way into the library. Looking up as he mumbled an apology, he saw the girl sliding into a yellow Porsche, revving its engine at the curb.

_Huh._ Edward stared as the tiny sports car pulled an illegal u-turn in the middle of traffic, its tires squealing. _Well, excuse me_, he added sarcastically.

Walking through the sliding glass doors, Edward ran a hand through his messy bronze hair. Seeing that Porsche only added to his numerous stressors. He started to make a mental list of all the things he needed to take care of before the weekend was over: _Pay the electric bill, get Jasper's half of the rent, pay the rent, read up for Lit 370, finish writing that Lit 405 paper …_

"Dude, seriously. Hello?" Jasper shouted in Edward's face.

Startled, Edward stepped back a few paces and realized that Jasper had been talking to him for the past couple of minutes.

"Earth to Edward?" Jasper laughed. "This date-thing tonight's really got you all messed up, huh?"

Edward tugged at the strap of his messenger bag, which was digging into his shoulder due to the ridiculous amount of work waiting in it. He wasn't really dreading the night's events, but wasn't all that much looking forward to playing wingman, either.

"Nah, Jazz. It's just I have a crapload of work I need to get done this weekend and I was totally planning on starting tonight …" He trailed off, hoping Jasper would let him off the hook.

"Oh, no. You're not getting out of this. If I have to go, so do you. Besides, Bella's awesome. If she wasn't so much like a sister to me, I'd totally go for her." Jasper winked. "Even if you two don't, you know, see sparks, I'm pretty sure you'll find her an interesting conversationalist." He turned his back to Edward and proceeded to lock up the counter's drawers.

"Are you whistling?" Edward was surprised at Jasper's good humor. _All week, he'd been complaining about tonight's "event." Now he was happy about it?_

Jasper laughed again. "I just have a good feeling about tonight, that's all."

"And why the sudden change of heart?"

"I dunno, man. Just feels right." Jasper smiled and headed off toward the office to gather his things before locking up completely.

Edward sighed. He could already feel the stress of the weekend fading. Jasper's good moods were infectious.

Edward meandered toward the door while Jasper turned off the lights. He found himself thinking about the brunette girl who he'd bumped into earlier and the obviously wealthy boyfriend she was meeting in the Porsche at the curb. He hadn't seen her face, but the smell of her perfume lingered. _Strawberries?_

Edward lay on the couch, waiting for Jasper to finish up in the apartment's only bathroom. He could hear Jasper's voice over the sound of the water's spray. _Damn him_, Edward thought. _Not only can he play the guitar, but he's got a great voice too. _Edward knew that he had nothing to be jealous about when it came to comparing himself with his roommate; Edward could play the piano quite well and always got good grades. It was just that, when it came down to it, Edward was the rubber band that was constantly stretched to its breaking point and Jasper was the rubber ball that bounced wherever it pleased.

Edward couldn't blame his tightly-wound nature on anyone but himself. He knew he was a perfectionist. Sometimes he worried that he might be OCD. He'd talked to his father, a renowned psychologist, more than a few times over these thoughts; Carlisle always reassured him that wanting to excel and needing to wash his hands three times every hour while reciting the alphabet backwards were two very different things.

Edward closed his eyes. Images of the yellow Porsche from earlier flashed across his eyelids. He imagined himself in the driver's seat, racing down I-5, deftly avoiding all the work he had to do before he could graduate. He felt the wind rushing through his hair and turned to smile at the girl sitting in the passenger's seat. Her brown hair swirled around her face, the smell of strawberries wafted toward him.

Jasper slammed opened the bathroom door, rousing Edward from his revelry. _OK, seriously?_ Edward thought to himself. _You really need to get a life. You don't even know what the girl looked like and she's already starring in your daydreams … in her boyfriend's Porsche, no less._

Jasper shouted to Edward from his bedroom at the end of the hall. "Dude, bathroom's all yours. Sorry it took me so long, I needed to shave."

Edward got up off the couch and headed toward the shower.

Edward had showered, gotten dressed and was sitting on the couch waiting when Jasper finally emerged from his bedroom, wearing a button-down western-esque shirt, jeans and cowboy boots.

"Lookin' suave, dude." Edward laughed. "What's with the hometown flair?"

"Bella mentioned Alice was into fashion. I was looking at a Cosmo the other day in the back room at work and I read that the western look is in."

"Since when do you, A: Read Cosmo and B: Care about fashion?"

Jasper shrugged and ran a hand through his dirty-blond curls. "It was on the table. And I figured I might as well try to look nice. It'll make Bella happy if I dress to impress."

"Dude, you're not going on a date with Bella." Edward wondered, for the umpteenth time since Jasper had asked him to go on a double date, why he was the one being hooked up with Bella. Jasper always said she was nothing more than a sister to him, but he also hadn't mentioned another girl in months.

Jasper rolled his eyes and walked toward the door, picking up his keys and wallet off the table. He looked back at Edward, "You coming?"

Edward got up from the couch, sighing as he shoved his hands in his pocket. _Here goes nothing._

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**A/N: Man, Jasper love. How'd you enjoy hearing Edward's POV? :) I'm planning on switching it up throughout the story, please let me know if it gets confusing. Reviews are, once again, welcome and appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your kind reviews. I've answered some of your pleas to write longer chapters with this one ... it's nearly twice the size of the last. :) I finished up answering my reviews a few minutes ago and thought, why am I keeping them waiting until tomorrow? I'm not an evil person! So, here it is ... the double date! (Or at least half of it ... haha!)**

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"Emmett would totally not like this, Alice." Bella stood in front of her roommate's giant floor-length mirror and examined the outfit Alice had provided for her to wear.

"You're not trying to impress your brother, Bella. Gross."

"Yeah, but you know how he gets." Mimicking her older, much larger brother's deep voice, she bellowed, "Bella Marie Swan! What are you wearing? What would Dad say if he saw you like this? Are you trying to get yourself kidnapped? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Through her laughter, Alice chided, "Oh come on Bells, it's not that bad. You look hot! I know it's not a baggy sweater and jeans, but we aren't going to the library tonight. You promised." Alice stuck her lower lip out in a pout.

Bella couldn't help but smile. Alice knew that she was a pushover; she just tended to protest when it came to showing skin. And when Alice was involved in picking out her clothes, there always seemed to be more skin than fabric.

The hem of her black skirt hit a good eight inches above her knee and hugged her hips in a suggestive way. Her cobalt blue spaghetti-strapped silk shirt had an empire waist and flared out at the bottom. The cool fabric felt good against her skin, but she knew she'd get cold if she went outside without a jacket. She turned to Alice, who was standing behind her, holding a pair of gold strappy stilettos.

"Oohhh, no. No way Alice."

"Oh come on Bells! They go so well with the whole ensemble. Plus, these earrings," she held up a set of large gold hoops. "And this necklace," she waved around a thin gold chain with a crystal heart dangling from it.

"The jewelry is lovely, Al, but those shoes are insane. You know I can barely walk in flats without falling over. How you expect me to walk around in those …" Bella trailed off, thinking of the last time she wore heels. It had been to an opening of some bar; she couldn't remember its name. Alice was always in the know about those sorts of things. Bella pretty much just trailed along behind her, looking a little like a lost puppy. Alice had had "a good feeling" that night, so Bella begrudgingly went along with the plan, and the four-inch platform pumps Alice had made her wear.

She got eyed that night, for sure. While Alice believed it was because she looked "ridiculously hot"—her words, of course—Bella knew it was because she started and ended the night wobbling around like she'd had way more to drink than one beer. That was also the night she'd met James. Bella shuddered, bringing herself out of the memory.

Alice was still looking at her with pleading eyes. Bella shook her head. "We're going to dinner, Alice. Not to a club opening, not to a fashion show." She walked over to her closet and grabbed a pair of black satin flats, turning to show Alice. "Look, they're shiny. They match the jewelry too."

Alice groaned. "You, Bella Swan, are hopeless."

Bella laughed. "You love a challenge, Alice Brandon."

--

Bella sat on the couch while waiting for Alice to finish up in the bathroom. For a tiny girl with hair barely longer than two inches, it sure took her a long time.

"Seriously. Alice. Your hair looks great. We're going to be late if we don't leave soon." Bella yelled, flopping onto her back, hanging her knees over the couch's arm.

Alice called from the bathroom. "Just because some of us are born with perfect skin doesn't mean the rest of us just give up hope."

Bella threw an arm over her face in a grand and dramatic gesture, letting out a sigh.

Alice let out a piercing screech, causing Bella to shoot up from her position.

"What, Alice, what?!" Bella looked around for whatever it was that caused Alice to scream. There were no mice running across the floor. There were no large bugs creeping toward her. There was no masked serial killer standing in the doorway of their balcony, brandishing a knife.

"Bella!" Alice yelled, exasperated. "Do you know how easily that fabric wrinkles?"

Bella stared, openmouthed, at the tiny ball of fire standing before her. Alice's jaw was clenched and she looked like she wanted to punch something. _Or someone_, Bella thought.

Bella couldn't hold it back. She doubled over in laughter, falling to her knees. The tight skirt made it hard to bend.

"You're mad that I'm wrinkling my shirt?" Bella said as soon as she could catch her breath. "I realize that fashion is important to you, Al, but do you realize how silly you're being?"

Alice glared at her for a second before her own giggles overtook her. After both of them calmed down enough to speak, Alice apologized.

"I'm just nervous about tonight Bells," she revealed. "It's been a while since I went out on a date. It feels like I've been waiting forever for the right guy to find me."

Bella walked over and put an arm around Alice. She certainly knew the feeling. She placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Bella!" Alice pushed her away playfully. "You'll mess it up!"

Shaking her head, Bella grabbed her coat and headed toward the door, dangling Alice's keys from her hand.

"Let's go, little one."

Alice danced in front of her, grabbing the keys to her prized yellow Porsche.

"Why is it again that the boys aren't picking us up?"

Bella walked out the door behind her, shrugging. "Jasper doesn't drive."

--

Bella gripped the sides of her bucket seat, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Alice drove like a bat out of hell, and even after a year of trying to get comfortable with the speed at which they took corners and blew by other cars, Bella still tried to avoid watching whenever she could.

She felt the car pull to a stop and peeked out of one eye. Alice poked her in the side, saying, "We're here!" Peeling her hands from their grip, Bella cracked her knuckles and unbuckled her seatbelt.

"That's such a gross habit, Bella." Alice crinkled her nose in distaste.

"I wouldn't have to do it if I didn't have a white-knuckle grip every time I rode with you somewhere."

Alice scoffed. "Like we could take your truck anywhere. It's so rusty, you leave pieces of it all over Seattle."

Bella and Alice walked into the restaurant, arm in arm, all smiles. Bella surveyed the room, then stopped so abruptly that Alice nearly fell over.

His head was bowed, his reddish brown hair falling over a forehead creased in concentration. The sleeves of his dark blue sweater were pushed up toward his elbows. A book rested on the table. The guy licked his fingers and turned a page, then pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. _Oh to be that finger_, Bella thought to herself.

Alice growled, bringing Bella's thoughts back to the present. "Bella!" Alice muttered, under her breath. "You do not need to be rubbing your klutzy nature off on me."

"Oh god, Alice, I'm so sorry." Bella sounded like she'd just been running a marathon. "But look at that guy in the corner."

Alice looked in the direction Bella was indicating with her head. "Oh. Wow. You're right. Those curls are gorgeous. The other guy isn't so bad either."

_Curls? Other guy?_ Bella looked toward the table and made contact with a familiar set of blue eyes. Jasper was sitting across from _the guy_, waving.

Alice grabbed Bella's arm, whispering through a smile, "That's not Jasper, is it?"

Bella tried to swallow the giant lump taking up residence in her throat. "It is," she said. _And that must be Edward._

Alice practically dragged Bella over to the table at which their dates were waiting. Bella's legs felt like they were going to give way at any moment, and her heart was still racing. _Dear lord, I am so glad I wore these flats_, she thought.

Jasper was the first to speak. Rising from the table, he hugged Bella and looked toward Alice. "Hello. I'm Jasper." He pulled one of the chairs out from under the table. "You must be Alice."

Alice giggled, accepting the seat. "Thank you sir."

Bella stood near the table, clutching her jacket to her chest. She willed the bronze-haired boy to look in her direction with all her might, but was afraid that if he actually made eye contact, her heart might leap out of her chest and faint on the table after performing a very dramatic death scene. Jasper elbowed Edward in the bicep, harder than was necessary. Bella fought the urge to smack Jasper for possibly bruising him. Bella's eyes traveled up Edward's forearm. She could feel her pulse quicken. She desperately wanted to run her fingertips across his porcelain skin, kiss the spot where Jasper's elbow had so rudely connected. Her eyes moved upward, following the contours of his collarbone, visible under the thin fabric of his sweater, past his neck, up his chin, passing slowly over his mouth—_Oh, those lips!_—until she met his eyes.

Bella took an imperceptible step backwards. She felt as though she'd been struck, but she liked the feeling. The electricity flowing from the glowing green eyes behind those square black frames made her mind reel.

Jasper cleared his throat. Bella's eyes flew up to meet her friend's as a blush crept its way outward from her hairline.

"Uh, Bella. This is Edward. Edward, Bella."

Edward stood, closing his book. He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking everywhere but Bella's face. "Uh, hi," he mumbled, before pulling out the only other empty chair.

Bella's voice came out as a squeak. "Thanks." She sat down in her seat, looking blankly ahead.

She could feel Alice's burning gaze but she couldn't turn her head. She could feel a smile taking over her face, one that she knew wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

--

Dinner flew by. Bella couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Alice or Jasper so happy. Their conversation flowed freely, interrupted only by one of them laughing or the waitress coming by to check on their meal. Bella joined in when she could, but was overly preoccupied by the fact that her knee was only a few inches away from Edward's. He added bits and pieces to the conversation as well, but seemed somewhat ill at ease. Bella didn't dare hope that it was because he was thinking of her knee too.

Bella watched him out of the corner of her eye, memorizing his quirks. When his glasses started sliding down his nose, Edward would use his middle finger to push the bridge back into position. He ran his hands through his hair so often, strands stuck out every which way. He chuckled a lot more than he laughed, and when he smiled, one corner of his mouth would raise more than the rest. She couldn't help but be reminded of Clark Kent; she blushed slightly when she pictured Edward emerging from a phone booth, clad in a tight spandex suit.

During a lull in the conversation, Bella found the courage to ask Edward about the book he'd been reading when they arrived.

"My book?" he asked, avoiding her eyes. "It's just one for a class. I've read it a ton of times. I'd actually just gotten to one of my favorite parts when you and Alice got here, which is why I was a bit rude when Jasper introduced us." He looked up, his green eyes shining through a veil of hair. Bella wanted so badly to brush it out of his face. "Sorry about that." Bella felt herself slipping back into his warm gaze.

Jasper's voice broke the spell.

"Bella's an English major, Edward."

The crooked smile made an appearance. Bella's heart skipped a beat, once again. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. Making a mental note to start hitting the treadmill, Bella turned to Edward.

"Try me."

Edward took a deep breath. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this. My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Bella watched as his eyes glanced downward, toward her mouth. She licked her tongue out, breaking out into a smile when Edward flinched. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this. For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

Edward's eyes opened wide. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers, too?"

Bella responded in turn. "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."

Edward leaned closer, taking one of Bella's hands in his own. "Well, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." He brushed his lips against the back of her hand.

Bella shivered, the rest of Juliet's lines fleeing from her mind.

Alice clapped, giggling. "I love Romeo and Juliet!"

Jasper turned to her, somewhat surprised. "You've read a lot of Shakespeare, then?"

Alice shook her head. "No, but I've seen the movie a dozen times." She smiled up at Jasper, completely unashamed. "That Leo DiCaprio was a total dream boat."

Whether it was the wine, the nerves, the fact that Alice and Jasper were such total opposites, yet had hit it off so completely, or a combination of all three, Bella couldn't hold back. Her laughter rang through the restaurant, causing a busboy to drop a dirty plate on the ground. It landed with a loud clang. Edward, Jasper and Alice stared at her, along with the rest of the people enjoying their dinner, until they too joined in. Bella laughed until her stomach hurt and tears were running down her face.

"I'm … hic … so sorry." Bella shook her head, attempting to quell the emotion running freely from her mouth. She fanned a hand in front of her face, bringing herself back under control. The other three followed suit.

Alice dabbed a napkin in her water glass, then leaned over to Bella to wipe away telltale traces of mascara. "You should have used the waterproof, Bells." She winked, and then started bouncing in her seat.

"I just had the best idea!" She grabbed Jasper's hand, pulling him from his chair. "Let's go dancing!"

Bella and Edward groaned in unison. Bella looked up at him and smiled, apologizing for her roommate's enthusiasm with her eyes. He shrugged, getting up and shoving his hands in his pockets. Bella got up too, reluctantly. She wasn't too pleased about having to go dancing, but she for certain did not want this evening to be over.

Edward followed behind her as she headed out to the curb, where Alice's Porsche was waiting. As she walked over the threshold, a breeze ruffled her hair.

Edward paused. "Do you smell strawberries?"

--

Alice drove them all to a club a few blocks away. Jasper and Edward both commented on how well she handled the powerful car; neither of them seemed to mind the breakneck speed. Bella sat quietly in the backseat, hugging herself.

Alice waved at the bouncer on the way into the steaming club. He smiled and nodded, "Alice."

Jasper raised an eyebrow at Bella. She raised her shoulders in a shrug and leaned in to yell over the blaring music. "Alice pretty much knows every bouncer in the city. She's invited to a new bar opening pretty much every weekend."

Jasper laughed. "Is that what you're busy with every weekend?"

Bella rolled her eyes and sat down at a tall table. Alice grabbed Jasper and pulled him to the bar, pointing questioningly toward Bella and Edward.

"Beer, please," Bella shouted.

"Same here!" Edward hung his coat on the back of his chair and sat down. It looked like he was about to say something when a voice rang out.

"Yo, Tyler!"

Bella blanched. She knew that voice. Looking up at the glowing neon sign behind the DJ booth, Bella groaned. _Eclipse._

Scrunching down, she peeked over Edward's shoulder, confirming her suspicions. Mike was dancing straight toward their table. Bella looked around, frantically, for an exit.

"Bella?" Edward's forehead creased with concern. "Are you ok?"

Bella looked toward the man sitting before her. The noise of the club receded; leaving only Edward and her behind, alone on an island in a sea of confusion.

There was only one way to keep Mike from spotting her.

Bella leaned in close to Edward's perfect face while reaching one hand behind his head. The other reached up to pull off his glasses. _Hello Superman_, she thought. Intertwining her fingers in the glorious bronze mess, she pulled his face to hers. In the second before their lips made contact she whispered, "Sorry."

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**A/N: Back to Miss Swan's POV. Is everyone loving nerdy Edward? Chapter 4 might bring in a bit of switch up ... Keep reading and reviewing, I'll love you for both!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: You. Are. Awesome. When I set out to write this story, it was mostly for me to have fun. Y'all's responses have been so genuine and cool that I feel like I've actually written something important, haha! I'm sorry that I didn't get around to personally responding to the reviews for Chapter 3, and I'm sorry this has taken me so long to update. I've been super busy with life and whatnot lately. I will aim to have at least one chapter up each week ... I hope you can put up with the wait. Now, without furthur ado ...**

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**Jasper stood at the bar, waiting for the bartender to come back with the drinks he'd just ordered. Alice sat on a stool next to him, plucking absentmindedly at her black spikes. She smiled when she caught him looking at her, causing him to lower his eyes to the ground and run a hand through his hair.

She leaned closer to him, shouting in his ear so that she could be heard over the roar of bad techno. "I like your shirt!"

Jasper felt his heart swell. Something about this tiny sprite made him feel good about the future. _Hopeful_, he thought to himself. Her grey eyes held promises that he wanted to explore, and to reciprocate.

He leaned toward her ear, close enough that she shivered from the breath of his words on her skin. "Thank you, Alice." He wasn't sure if the double meaning of his gratitude was clear to her, but he knew that he would eventually figure out some way to make her see. "Bella mentioned that you liked fashion." He shrugged. "This was the closest thing to fashion I had in my closet."

Grasping the bar, Alice pushed herself backwards, examining him from head to toe. Jasper could feel her gaze as it traveled down his body, making his mind wander places a gentleman's shouldn't. He lifted his chin, readying himself for what he knew would be a very honest opinion of his attempt at impressing her. Mentally, he crossed his fingers.

"The western look is very much in right now." Alice's face was serious, but her eyes were sparkling with laughter.

Jasper leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth, causing a gasp of surprise. "I wasn't sure what to expect from tonight, Miss Brandon, but I'm sure glad I put my trust in Bella."

Alice stuck her tiny hand in his and squeezed. "Speaking of …" She trailed off, nodding her head in the direction of the table at which they'd left their friends. Jasper followed her line of sight and felt his heart pang slightly; Bella had her hands wrapped around Edward's head and was kissing him with ever-increasing force. Edward's hands fluttered around her shoulders, unsure of where to go or what to do. When his surprise turned to agreement, however, he rested them, one the back of her neck and the other on her face, pulling her even closer.

Jasper turned back toward the bar, searching for the bartender. He was at once both happy for his two best friends and the awkward courting dance they were performing and annoyed by the resurrection of feelings he'd thought were long gone. Jasper thought back to the time when he and Bella first met. He was a sophomore, working the day shift at the library. She'd stumbled over to him, a typical freshman, eyes wide with nervous excitement, looking for a building that happened to be on the total other side of campus. He told her such and her lip stuck out in a pout. Bella's lip did that a lot when she was annoyed.

Jasper had talked her in to skipping her class, since she'd be over ten minutes late by the time she reached the building, and grabbing a bite to eat. They'd hit it off right away, teasing each other like brother and sister—or an old married couple—from the very start. Sometime during their conversation, Bella had mentioned needing to find a job. Jasper knew that the library was hiring, so they wandered back over and she applied that very day. Three years later, they were still working together.

Jasper's initial feelings for Bella were more than just friendly. She was obviously pretty, even though she didn't think so, and was smart, funny and completely willing to make fun of herself.  
Her inability to be in a padded room without hurting herself was endearing. Jasper had thought for a few weeks during the beginning of their relationship that it might be able to move the transition from friendship to … something more. One night, while watching a terrible romantic comedy in his dorm room, Bella had curled up against his side. Jasper had looked down at her, and feeling uncharacteristically forward, had leaned his head down and touched his lips to hers. Everything was nice, for a moment, until they both began laughing, through the kiss. Bella had even snorted. They laughed until they had tears in their eyes and their stomachs hurt from the effort. From then on, they'd been just great friends, which Jasper reckoned was the best of all possible outcomes.

The bartender placed three beers and a martini down in front of Jasper, waking him from his revelry. Alice, still holding his hand, was looking up at him with a sweet smile on her face, as if she knew what he was thinking about. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and raised her martini.

"A toast," she shouted.

Jasper cocked his head to the side, questioningly. He took up one of the beers and clinked it to Alice's glass.

She smiled. "To the future."

Jasper leaned down again, this time kissing Alice's unsuspecting mouth full on. She placed her glass back onto the bar, stood up on the rung of the stool she'd been sitting on and wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his gesture with more emotion than Jasper was expecting. He let himself go, savoring the taste and the burn of her peppermint lip gloss. Alice pulled away first, her grey eyes sparking with inner flame.

Jasper blushed and ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "I guess we should take these beers over to the table." He peeked at Alice from behind a blond curl.

Alice reached over and smoothed it back with the others. She hopped down from the bar and grabbed her drink, linking her arm with his. Jasper grabbed the three beers and turned toward the table.

Jasper noticed that Bella and Edward were now sitting in their seats, not spread across the table like they had been mere minutes before. Both of them were looking everywhere but at each other. Edward ran his hand through his hair, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with a finger. Bella tapped her fingers on the table and leaned forward so that her face was half-hidden behind a wall of brown hair.

Jasper looked down at Alice and caught her eye. They both laughed, and then started to weave their way through the crowd.

Alice reached the table first and hopped into a chair, patting the seat beside hers. Jasper slid into the seat, passing Bella and Edward their beers. Bella grabbed hers and put it to her mouth, throwing her head back.

"Sorry if it's a bit warm, Bells," Jasper began. Bella, still in the process of chugging her beer, waved her hand at him in a dismissive gesture.

Alice giggled. "Thirsty, Bella? What'd you do to get so parched while we were at the bar?"

Jasper hid his smile behind his bottle. Edward, who'd just taken a sip, started to choke. Jasper gave a hard smack to his back, then squeezed his shoulder in a congratulatory manner, winking.

Edward's eyebrows knit in embarrassment behind his thick frames.

Jasper leaned toward Bella after she'd finished sucking down the lukewarm liquid. "You guys are getting off to an awful good start, huh?"

Bella answered, a little too loud. "What's that supposed to mean, Jasper?"

"You know what that's supposed to mean, Bella." The southern accent reared its head. "You big city girls and your forward ways. Give the poor guy a break. He's still new to this here lifestyle."

Bella glared. Edward hung his head.

Alice burst into laughter.

Bella stood from her seat, indignant. "I'll have you know, Jasper, that Edward was helping me avoid an unpleasant situation." She jerked her head in the direction of the dance floor, where it was obvious one person was making the most of the thumping beats, before storming off to the bathroom. Mike Newton was dancing—if you could call it that—in the center of the platform, legs kicking, arms flailing. A girl in black dress was being helped off the floor; it looked as though she'd come in contact with the business end of one of Mike's appendages.

Alice got out of her seat and followed after Bella, shooting Jasper a wistful glance. Jasper looked at Edward, whose beer was getting warmer by the second and whose head was hanging so low it was nearly resting on the table.

"Dude."

Edward looked up. "Dude is right."

"Did you know what was happening? Did she say something, anything, before she accosted you?

Edward shook his head. "She got this worried look on her face, said 'Sorry' and then bam. Out of nowhere, her face was on mine."

Jasper waited for Edward to offer more than the generics. Typically, he wasn't one to pry, and Edward wasn't the type of guy who kissed and told, but Jasper wanted to make sure that the recent kiss wasn't a redo of the one he and Bella had shared long ago. He wanted his two friends to be happy. And he knew, from the way Edward was hiding a smile, that the kiss most obviously hadn't been bad.

Jasper cleared his throat. Edward looked up at him, having been brought out of his trance. "It was pretty unexpected," he started. "At first I was really unsure of what was happening, the kiss was so forced and urgent. But then, Bella relaxed and I sort of …" he trailed off.

"Sort of what?" Jasper prodded.

Edward took off his glasses and rubbed the lenses between folds of his shirt. "Sort of really started to enjoy myself." Edward shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. "Sort of was really surprised when I found myself thinking about how good it would feel to kiss her on a regular basis."

He put his glasses back on and sighed. He put his forehead in one hand and leaned his elbow on the table.

Jasper smiled thoughtfully, thinking about his kiss with Alice. "I know what you mean."

Edward looked at him, studying the smile on his face. He straightened up, narrowing his eyes at Jasper. "Wait, wait. What happened while you and Alice were at the bar?" He laughed. "When you weren't spying on us, anyway."

Jasper had opened his mouth to speak when Alice and Bella returned from the bathroom. He winked at Edward, making a silent promise to tell him more about the tiny girl later. _My tiny girl_, he thought with a grin.

Alice poked him in the arm. "We're ready to get out of here."

Jasper feigned offense. "What about the dancing? Is Mike the only one who gets to have fun tonight?" He pointed over his shoulder toward the dance floor and the now only person on it.

Bella grimaced. "Jasper …"

Jasper held up his hands. "Man. And I really wanted to dance …"

The four made their way through the crowd and out to the Porsche. They piled in and headed toward Jasper and Edward's apartment. Jasper had told Alice they could call a cab, or walk, but she wasn't having any of it.

"Besides," she'd whispered in his ear. "I want a goodnight kiss."

When they reached the front of their building, Jasper hopped out of the car and pulled the seat forward, holding his hand out for Bella. She clambered out and waited for Edward; Jasper sauntered around to the driver's side and leaned onto the door. From this vantage point, he couldn't see Bella or Edward, but could hear them murmuring. He hoped Edward was smart enough to ask for her number. Jasper had it, of course, but it would be better if Edward got it himself.

Alice leaned out the window. Jasper lightly brushed his lips against hers, causing them both to shiver. He pulled away, ever so slightly, and stared into her eyes.

Bella's cough made Jasper stand up straight. Edward was already at the door, holding it open for him. Bella was in the passenger seat, buckled in and trying not to look at Alice's beaming face.

"Might I call you tomorrow?"

Alice shoved a slip of paper in his hand. He looked down. _Her phone number._

"Somehow I knew you'd be wanting this."

Jasper stood, backing up from the curb. "Goodnight Miss Brandon."

Alice brought her hand to her mouth and puckered, blowing a kiss his way. "Goodnight Mr. Whitlock."

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**A/N: Sorry to dissappoint those who wanted a complete resolution to the kiss, but I couldn't very well leave Jasper and Alice hanging, now could I? You got to see one side of the kiss' opinion, the other will come soon, don't stress me'hearties. Are you all continuing to enjoy Jasper as much as I am? Reviews, as always, are love. **

**P.S. We'll be seeing the titular "bad boys" any day now ... ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: Over 100 reviews! Let's make it 150 by Chapter 6! ;) (Joking. Sort of. Haha.) You guys continue to amaze me with your genuine appreciation for a story that's nothing more than an homage to the _Twilight _we all know and love. Buckle up folks, it's time for a little emotin' ...  
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Edward lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, mulling over the events of the previous night.

Dinner had been good. He wasn't used to forced interaction, nor did he like making small talk with people he knew very little about. It surprised him how easy it was to talk to Bella; at least during the few times they spoke specifically to each other. He knew quite a bit more about her than he'd let on; Jasper had done a good job of preparing Edward for their meeting. He'd known she was an English major before Jasper reminded him; he'd known she was from a small town near the Canadian border; he's known that her father and brother—a police chief and detective, respectively—were both a bit overprotective. He wanted to tell her more about himself, but the conversation never seemed to stray beneath the surface. With the exception of his impromptu recitation of Romeo's lines, of course. Edward felt a chill at the remembrance of the electricity that coursed through his hand when he took Bella's in his.

There were pauses, but they weren't awkward. _Expectant,_ he thought, _like there was something being left unsaid._ Thankfully, Jasper and Alice's conversation seemed to fill the room. By the end of the meal, Edward wasn't surprised to hear them finishing each other's sentences. Edward was certainly glad for his friend. He'd heard the story of Jasper and Bella's ill-fated kiss, and Jasper's oft-repeated assurance that their relationship was more brother-sister than romantic, but Edward had worried that for all the brushing off he did, Jasper was feeling more than he let on. Alice was definitely what the guy needed.

Edward clenched his jaw. He certainly wasn't thinking about Jasper's feelings at the club. But then, neither was Bella.

He wasn't quite sure of what exactly had happened at Eclipse. The kiss had taken him completely off guard. He'd been about to ask her something about the upcoming semester and which classes she'd be taking—in the hope that she'd be in one of his—when she'd stiffened. She'd turned to him with a look in her eyes that was a mix between a mountain lion ready to pounce and a mother bear readying herself to protect her cubs. Edward had been taken aback, and right before Bella had taken his head in her hand and smashed her face to his, he was unsure of whether to run away or take her, right there, on the table.

Running a hand through his hair, Edward rolled onto his side and looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table. _8:23_. The feelings he had for this girl, someone he'd only known a matter of hours, were tying his stomach, heart and brain into knots. If he was truthful, thinking of Bella affected other organs as well, but Edward tried hard to keep his body in check and focus on the task at hand—figuring out why Bella had done what she had, then turned so cold, so suddenly.

The kiss started out forced; fearful. Even though she was the one who initiated it, Bella had been shaking when she took off his glasses. Their mouths were tightly closed at first, pressed against each other in a utilitarian manner. Edward felt like he was playing a part. He remembered feeling so stupid, his hands trying to find somewhere to go while his lips were pressed up against a beautiful girl's, in plain sight of the entire, crowded club. Edward wasn't the most experienced of guys. He'd had chances with women in the past, even dated a few, but after the initial honeymoon phase wore off, Edward had lost interest in them, or vice versa. He ended up having a lot of friends that were also exes, which made for many an awkward birthday party.

When Edward felt Bella relax into the kiss, and he'd found a place for both his hands that was a good mix between on the table, not touching her, and inappropriate first-kiss contact, he'd relaxed into it too. He stopped thinking so hard, worrying about why she'd attacked him, and let the electric current he'd felt earlier from the touch of her hand and the meeting of their eyes take control. Bella's lips softened, opening slightly, and she let out a tiny sigh. From a hand on her neck, Edward could feel her pulse racing, and knew that his own had sped up to match. Edward was a runner, and he knew how to keep his pulse steady even during the most grueling leg of a marathon. This was different. His heart was soaring, practically dancing a jig.

The smell of strawberries—_Bella's shampoo_, he'd decided—drove him to kiss her with passion. Even though she'd been the initiator, Edward took control of the situation. He'd let the tip of his tongue slide softly across her barely open mouth, causing Bella to gasp. He'd run his thumb down her ear, caressing the spot just behind it. She'd shivered and he'd smiled, already enjoying himself more than he should. Bella pulled away, slowly, nipping at his bottom lip, with what Edward thought was passion flaring for a second in her melted-chocolate brown eyes.

At the time, he'd felt brave and in the right. Edward wasn't the type of guy to take charge. He was much more content to let others make decisions when they could be affected, than to worry about what his own needs were. With Bella, however, he felt like he wanted to be the one calling the shots, like he wanted to show her just how far he was willing to go. He wanted her … wanted her to want him in return. And that look in her eyes as she pulled away, the feelings of excited unease he'd been getting all night, told him she was at least entertaining the idea.

And that was only part of why her actions at the end of the night had confused him so.

Who was this Mike guy Bella had been "avoiding" while making Edward's head swim? Why did she feel the need to kiss him, when she could have escaped Mike seeing her in numerous other ways? Why did she reciprocate the passion behind the kiss—and continue kissing him—when the ruse had done its job? And why had she acted like he was a total stranger as they were leaving the bar, only to slip a scrap of paper with her number on it into his hand and kiss him on the cheek as they were saying their awkward goodnights?

Edward sighed and threw his hands above his head in exasperation. Not being able to justify lying in bed doing nothing when he could be reading or working on his paper, Edward got up. As he was grabbing his glasses off the nightstand, a slip of paper fluttered to the floor. Edward leaned down to pick it up. _Bella 541-555-1918_.

Edward groaned as he walked toward the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Jasper was sitting at the bar, shoveling spoonfuls of Lucky Charms dripping with milk into his mouth as he read the newspaper. "S'up, dude?" he said, through a mouthful of tiny marshmallows.

Edward shrugged and headed toward the coffeemaker. After pouring a steaming cup and deciding it would be better if he left it black this morning—nothing to dull the caffeine—he turned and leaned against the counter, staring out a living room window across the way.

After a moment of silence, Jasper started to snicker. Edward looked at him, curiously.

Jasper looked up, mirth in his eyes. "There's this hilarious story in here," he pointed at the paper before continuing, "about some dude that got kissed by a girl he barely knew at a club and proceeded to mope around the house for the next few weeks."

Edward scowled. "Jazz, it's been, like, less than eight hours." He took a sip of his coffee and winced. Jasper liked his coffee strong enough to melt silverware. "Besides, I'm not moping."

Jasper cocked his head at Edward.

"Who said I was referring to you? I was just telling you about this hilarious story about a guy who was so scared to make a move he ended up adopting 20 cats to rid himself of his loneliness."

Edward pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I don't even like cats."

Jasper jumped down from the bar and put his bowl in the sink, drawing water in it from the tap. "What kind of craziness are you planning for today, Edward? A little Internet trolling, maybe some light reading of an old English manuscript?"

Edward sighed. Jasper, in his patented sarcastic way, was hitting on the truth. Edward, as much as part of him wanted to avoid Bella and any discussion of what happened last night—the other part wanting to relive the kiss over and over and over, and perhaps formulate a plan to get it to happen again—knew he needed to get out of the house, go somewhere with people.

_Maybe today's a good day to hit up the library_, he thought to himself.

**A/N: Awww, Jasper's teasing Edward! But will his teasing lead to better things for both E & B? We shall see my lovelies, we shall see. And I know I said the bad boys are coming soon, and they are, I promise. It just took longer than I expected for Bella to explain her actions. Because we all know she totally had some 'splainin' to do.**

**If you'd be so kind to review, I might be far enough ahead in my writing that I could send you a teaser for Chapter 6 ... :)  
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	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: I don't know if it was my sneaky ploy at plying you with teasers that brought in all the reviews, but no matter what it was, I thank you all. You are so funny and gracious and I'd like to be friends with each and every one of you. A lot of you wanted to know if Edward was going to see Miss Swan at the library ... read on and find out. :)**

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Bella leaned on the counter, her chin resting on her hand. _Why does this feel so familiar?_ She thought. _Oh, that's right. Because my life is on repeat. Home, work, school. Shopping with Alice. Home, work, school._ She sighed.

The library was dead again today, with only a week left until the semester began. Bella was ready for classes to pick back up. She'd already planned out her schedule, and as a junior, was finally able to take classes she knew she'd enjoy. She found herself wondering if a certain glasses-wearing guy would be in any of them.

_Edward._

Bella wanted to hit herself in the face with the giant, unabridged Oxford English dictionary sitting on a stand in the reference section. She knew that if she tried to pick it up, the weight of it would make her topple over and probably crush the air from her lungs in seconds flat. She hoped it would do the trick of making her forget her actions from the night before. Everyone would remember her as the girl who got smushed by the dictionary, not the girl who made an ass out of herself in front of the most gorgeous man in the known universe. Bella was quite certain Edward was from another planet.

She groaned and banged her forehead against the counter. Why had she told Angela she'd take the morning shift? She'd much rather be in bed, right now, sleeping and _not_ thinking about last night, than sitting in the library, imagining all the morbid—and decidedly nerdy—ways she could off herself.

Why had she decided that kissing Edward was the only way to avoid Mike? There had to have been other ways to avoid him seeing her. Her hair was pretty nondescript; she could have merely turned away and engaged Edward in a close conversation. He would have played along, had she told him what she was doing. But those eyes, that hair … _Those damn glasses._ Thinking about his face, that close to her own, made little butterflies in Bella's stomach start dancing. Those dancing butterflies made her glad she'd forgone breakfast.

Although thinking about her actions made her a bit queasy, Bella didn't exactly see the kiss as a bad thing. From the moment she saw Edward, sitting in the restaurant, his nose stuck in that book, she wanted to know him. When they spoke over the course of dinner, it wasn't about anything deep, but the sound of his voice had a musical quality; Bella wanted to record him talking and play it every night before she fell asleep. Edward could be reading the daily stock report from the _Wall Street Journal_ for all she cared; as long as there were words coming from his mouth, she'd be his.

_His._ The thought made her heart skip a beat. When she'd started kissing him, she was doing so out of the fear of discovery. The adrenaline rushing through her veins gave her confidence. Her fingers intertwined in his hair were there out of necessity, keeping his head in place. But when he started kissing her back, her head relinquished all control. Her heart took over and let her feel the electricity coursing between his lips and hers. She felt his hand on her face and leaned into it, letting herself be pulled even closer. His lips felt like silk. She remembered, before letting go completely, wanting to ask him what kind of chapstick he used. That was before his tongue had darted out to touch her mouth, before he'd started rubbing small circles with his thumb behind her ear.

That was before Bella felt her heart cozy itself up to a picture of his face.

She'd only pulled away so that she could make sure she wasn't dreaming. She had to open her eyes and see that her Superman really was sitting directly in front of her, kissing her with the force of his home planet's exploding sun. There was humor behind those sparkling green eyes, and maybe a bit of something else? Her breath caught in her throat as she remembered, so clearly, the look in his eyes, the slight swelling of his lips, the nervous way he'd run a hand through the mess of hair on top of his head when he was finally able to tear his eyes away from hers. Bella smiled into the counter at the memory of what Alice had later called "sex hair" when the two of them were alone and on the way home.

Bella was letting her mind wander regarding Edward's sex hair when a paper coffee cup landed on the counter, mere inches away from her head. Out of the corner of her eye, Bella could see a tiny hand wrapped around it, the fingernails perfectly manicured and painted a deep shade of blood red.

Bella sighed a breath of relief. "Alice." She turned her head, not quite raising it from the counter, and looked up into her roommate's mischievous grey eyes.

"Good morning hot stuff." Alice handed the coffee over as Bella pushed herself away from the counter, then hopped up to sit on it, crossing her fishnet-clad legs—ending in tight, knee-high black boots—and dangling them over the edge. "You left before we got a chance to talk this morning."

Bella held the cup in her hands, deeply breathing in the delicious aroma wafting from the small hole in the lid. "Mmmmm." She took a sip. "Caramel latte. My favorite."

Alice scoffed. "Would I bring you anything less?"

Taking a drink, Bella relaxed, leaning a hip up against the counter. "You spoil me Alice. I was just thinking about how much a good cup of coffee would hit the spot. You know that crap in the break room is good for nothing but removing paint from the walls."

"That's not what you were thinking of Bella." Alice twirled a black spike in between two fingers. "I had to practically shove the cup in your face before you recognized I was standing there. I'd been talking to you for at least a minute before I realized I hadn't received a response."

"Only a minute?" Bella grinned. "It usually takes at least five for anyone to get a word in edgewise."

Alice stuck her tongue out, making a rude noise in the process.

"I'm sorry Al." Bella pushed a hand through her long brown hair, pulling the layers away from her face. "I was thinking about how much of a bitch I was last night."

"You've known him less than a day and you've already picked up one of his quirks." Alice grinned into her cup while taking a sip.

"What?"

"You just ran your hand through your hair, which a certain someone did a whole lot of last night." Alice cocked her head to the side and snickered. "Next thing you know, you're going to start wearing glasses and pushing them back into place incessantly."

"Geeze Alice, for someone who was on a date with another man, you sure noticed a lot about Edward."

Alice shrugged. "I can multitask like a champ, Bella Swan."

"Yeah, about that. Don't think I didn't see you and Jasper at the bar last night, Alice Brandon. Don't think I don't know why my beer was nasty warm."

Her eyes wide with mock innocence, Alice placed her empty hand to her heart. "I have no idea what you're referring to. The bartender happened to take _for-ever_ getting us our drinks. Jasper and I discussed the weather and the upcoming election. I was a proper lady, and he was quite the gentleman."

Bella couldn't help but laugh at her pixie-friend's feigned innocence. "Spill it, Brandon."

Alice's body hopped slightly with excitement, all pretense of calm thrown by the wayside. "Oh. My. God. Bella. Kissing him was like …" Her hands waived in the air as she searched for the right term.

"Snuggling up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket with the man of your dreams, watching a dramatic movie while a fire's crackling in the background?" Bella offered, thinking back to the way she felt while kissing Edward.

"Better! It was like hitting the mall and finding that every store's offering 75-percent-off all merchandise." Alice's smile was so big it nearly took up her entire tiny face. "I could have stayed attached to his lips for the rest of time. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it my life's goal to invent a way Jasper and I can eat, sleep, shower and shop while connected at the lips.

"And what does Jasper think about this plan?"

"I don't know." Alice's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "He hasn't called me yet."

Bella looked up at the large clock on the wall. _9:24._ She turned to Alice. "It's not even 10, Al. Jazz isn't due in until then, and knowing him, he's not even out of bed yet."

"Well," Alice began as she hopped down from her perch on the counter. "I don't like to be presumptuous …" At this, Bella snorted. Alice ignored her and continued on. "But if he doesn't call me by tonight, I'm going to have to call him."

Alice started for the doors at the far end of the library. "I'm off to do some preparatory shopping for all the dates I'll be having in the near future." She waved and blew a kiss to Bella as she stepped out the sliding doors.

Bella finished up her coffee, sighed, and went back to banging her head on the counter. She felt a presence approach and stand in front of her. Figuring it was Alice, she groaned. "No, Alice, I don't think I'll be needed anything from Victoria's Secret any time soon."

A male voice stuttered, "U-uh, you won't?"

Bella's head flew up, her eyes meeting a pair of startling green ones nearly hidden behind thick black frames. Edward ran a hand through his hair, making Bella hearken back to the thoughts she was having this morning. She blushed.

"Uh, hi. Sorry Edward." Bella turned her eyes toward her hands, which were gripping the counter much like they did the seat when she was riding shotgun in Alice's Porsche. "I thought you were Alice."

He chuckled. "I can see how you'd make that mistake."

Bella looked up at all 6'-plus of him, standing before her, looking as nervous as she felt.

The silence grew thick with things they were both leaving unsaid. Bella shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other while Edward picked at the strap of his messenger bag. When it was nearing unbearable levels, they both spoke at once.

"Bella, about last night …"

"I was terrible last night …"

They looked at each other. Edward opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again and motioned with one hand for her to continue.

All the things Bella wanted to say to him came spilling out in a rush. "I shouldn't have been so rude to you last night. I was trying to avoid Mike, because he's super annoying and always asking me to go places with him and last night he was at Eclipse and I totally forgot he was going to be there and I didn't want him to see me, because I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I totally ended up hurting your feelings instead. And I never wanted to hurt your feelings because you're a totally great guy and, God, that kiss was amazing, and I can't blame you if you never want to see me again, but I totally hope you do because I want to get to know you better and the next time around I won't be so hot and cold and treat you like dirt and feel like a total shit about it for the entire rest of the night."

Bella took a breath and glanced at Edward, who was massaging the back of his neck with one hand.

He looked at her, and she thought she saw a glimpse of humor spark in his green eyes. "You thought the kiss was amazing?"

Bella's face fell. _Did I really say that? Shit, shit, shit, shit …_

Edward laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

_He really does do that a lot_, Bella thought as she attempted a weak smile, her butterflies starting once again to do the Rhumba. She found herself wondering if he knew how sexy that movement was. At dinner, she saw it as a nervous habit, but now … She couldn't help but hope that he was letting a bit of the superhero show through the nerdy façade on purpose.

"So, yeah." She avoided answering Edward's last statement. "I guess I just wanted to say I'm sorry, see if we could perhaps start fresh?" She stuck her hand out for him to shake, looking him directly in the eye and willing her arm not to turn to jelly. "I'm Bella Swan. I promise I'm not as crazy as I might seem."

Edward pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and took a breath, stepping forward to accept her hand. Bella felt a sudden shock of electricity. If Edward felt it too, he didn't let on, but one corner of his mouth did rise up, slightly, into what Bella knew was now her favorite facial expression. "Edward Cullen. Pleased to make your acquaintance, not-so-crazy Bella."

Bella smiled and stood for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his hand touching hers. For a second, she wanted to pull him towards her, rubbing his smooth skin across her cheek. For a second, she considered if it would be proper to be the first to make a move, again, and drag him across the counter. Edward was a lot bigger than her, but she figured she had the element of surprise on her side again …

A buzzing vibration in her pocket woke Bella from her daydream. _Darn_, she thought, _and I was just about to plan our quiet exit to the private study rooms_.

Reluctantly taking removing her hand from Edward's, she reached into her pocket with an apologetic look on her face. She pulled out her cell phone and looked at it. _Emmett. Always ruining my fun._

She flipped the phone open to read the text her older brother had left her.

_J&J were in an accident. They're at Seattle Grace. Get here when you can?_

Bella nearly dropped her phone. She felt her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach, a drastic departure from the residency it had taken up in her throat mere minutes before while apologizing to Edward.

Her change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed. Edward leaned into her line of vision, trying to get her attention. Bella could barely hear what he said; every word he spoke sounded indistinct and muffled.

She looked at him without seeing, a glazed look in her eyes.

"Did you drive here this morning, Edward?"

"Uh, yeah, I did. What's wrong Bella? You look like that was bad news."

"It was my brother. Some friends of ours were in an accident." Bella opened her phone and dialed. "Jasper? Are you on your way? I need to get to the hospital." She flicked her phone closed, not waiting for a response. She turned around and walked to the break room to grab her purse and coat.

Bella returned to the front desk to find Edward and Jasper having a hurried conversation. He must have been on his way in the building when she'd called. Not looking directly at either one, she mumbled into the ether, "Let's go," and started for the door.

Edward shot Jasper a worried look, then followed behind, catching up with Bella as she paused after exiting. She stared straight ahead, waiting for him to make a move toward his car. He pressed a button on a keychain and the lights on a shiny silver Volvo in the lot across the street from the library flashed. Bella walked toward it without so much of a look in either direction and got in the passenger's seat, still staring off into the distance.

Edward slid in behind the wheel and started the car. He turned to Bella.

"Seattle Grace. Please, Edward." The last words came out in a whimper.

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A/N: I know, I know. I'm a terrible person for leaving you hanging like that. But don't fret, everything will be resolved in due time. I'm just glad Bella explained her actions, at least in part. Send me your guesses as to who's been in the accident? I can't promise to send you a Cullen (as I have none, and had I some, I don't know that I would share!) as a reward for getting it right, but I'd love you forever for the review! ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: How many ways can I come up with to say "thank you, you are amazing and wonderful and you make my days when you review"? I guess we shall continue to see. :) And now, without further ado ... the unmasking of J&J!**

**(P.S. - The choice for the song in this chapter was inspired by the lovely and talented AHelm, best beta ever!)  
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**Bella sat in silence as Edward drove them toward the hospital. Emmett's text had been cryptic; she had no idea of whether the guys had been seriously hurt, or even if they were both still alive.

A small sob escaped her lips. She saw Edward's worried expression darken from the corner of her eye, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him why she was acting the way she was. She felt that if she opened her mouth, the tears would start flowing. Only a few minutes ago she'd promised Edward she wasn't as crazy as she'd come across the night before. Her hold on him was tenuous, at best. Bella couldn't afford—it amazed her how her heart shuddered at the thought—to drive him away.

Although she knew she wasn't helping things, being so stiff and unresponsive, Bella forced herself not to add to her worries by wondering if Edward thought she was a nutter. She searched her memories for a time when everything didn't seem so screwed up. A time when she felt more in control of herself and her actions.

An 80s song started playing on the radio and Bella nearly laughed, the timing was so surreal. _The universe sure works in mysterious ways_, she thought, slipping from the present into memory …

Bella walked back from the bar with a beer in one hand and a Cosmo in the other, wobbling a bit in Alice's heels. _I'm most definitely the man in this relationship_, she thought, chuckling.

She hit the booth next to Alice with a loud thump.

"I cannot believe you talked me into wearing these things, Al."

Alice smiled up at her, a mischievous look in her eyes. "It'll all be worth it, I promise."

A balding, older guy finished up his rendition of Britney Spears' "Hit Me One More Time" and stumbled off the stage to a chorus of half-hearted cheers.

Bella took a sip of her beer, internally cringing in preparation for the next massacred song. Why Alice had wanted to come to a karaoke bar was beyond her. Why she'd told her roommate of only two months that she'd go along was also questionable. Alice didn't like to sing, and there was no way Bella would _ever_ get up on that stage, even after four beers. _Particularly in these freaking heels_. She reached down to rub her ankle.

The opening notes of a song she didn't recognize rang out. Bella turned to Alice to ask for clarification on the meaning of "worth it." Alice wasn't looking at her, however; her mouth was hanging open and she was staring at the stage.

"Dark in the city, night is a wire,  
Steam in the subway, earth is afire,  
Do-do do do, do do do, do do do, do do do, do do.  
Woman you want me, give me a sign,  
And catch my breathing even closer behind,  
Do-do do do, do do do, do do do, do do do, do do."

The voice coming from the front of the bar caused a chill to run down Bella's spine. She turned around, slowly, and followed the sound. The notes of the song wrapped around her like a warm blanket; she felt a blush creeping its way up her face.

"In touch with the ground,  
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you.  
Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd,  
And I'm hungry like the wolf.  
Straddle the line, in discord and rhyme,  
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you.  
Mouth is alive, with juices like wine,  
And I'm hungry like the wolf."

Bella looked up into dark eyes that burned like flame, staring right back into hers. She could hear Alice gasp as the body attached to those eyes made its way, slowly, seductively, toward their table. The man was tall and solid, but by no means a bodybuilder. His sandy blonde hair fell down around his shoulders in waves. Bella found herself wanting to run her fingers through it, tug on it, make the man underneath it beg for mercy.

"Stalked in the forest, too close to hide,  
I'll be upon you by the moonlight side,  
Do-do do do, do do do, do do do, do do do, do do.  
High blood drumming on our skin, it's so tight  
You feel my heart, I'm just a moment behind,  
Do-do do do, do do do, do do do, do do do, do do."

Bella didn't know whether to run screaming or jump the guy then and there. He ran his tongue suggestively over his lower lip. Bella tore her eyes away from his mouth and let them wander downwards, running over what was obviously an extremely well formed chest hiding underneath a tight black t-shirt. _Mmmm._ Her eyes traveled lower …

When the second voice broke through her trance, Bella caught her breath, thankful for the interruption. Looking past the obviously dangerous and extraordinarily intriguing man standing directly in front of her, she noticed a huge guy prowling the stage, growling and clawing at the air like an animal. A goofy grin lit up his face; tongue lolling as he panted for breath. Bella wondered how she hadn't noticed him before; he had to be at close to 7' tall. His long black hair was pulled back in a pony tail. He wore a white button up shirt that contrasted nicely with his dark skin and jeans that looked like they'd seen the underside of more than one car. The sound of his stomping nearly drowned out the music. Bella couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him.

Bella relaxed a little and turned to Alice as the two men finished the rest of the song in tandem, the burning man's voice like the sun on a hot summer's day, the other's like the rattling of a jackhammer.

"Burning the ground, I break from the crowd,  
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you.  
Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found,  
And I'm hungry like the wolf.  
Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme,  
I howl and I whine, I'm after you.  
Mouth is alive, all running inside  
And I'm hungry like the wolf ..."

The bar exploded into cheers and riotous clapping. The two men took their bows, waving to the crowd, before stepping off the stage and heading in Bella and Alice's direction.

Alice shivered. "Duran Duran's got nothing on those two."

Bella felt her spine flattening against the back of the booth as the smaller man got closer. Something about him made her uneasy, but she couldn't determine whether that was a good or a bad thing. She knew this much: If she let him, he'd have a grip on her very soul.

"Good evening, ladies." The fire in his eyes was even more powerful up close. Bella swore she could feel the heat of the flames as they lapped at his irises.

Alice giggled beside her, uncharacteristically unnerved. Bella forced herself to remember to breathe, and responded. "That was … um … impressive."

The bigger guy erupted with laughter. "It's James' favorite song. I'm just here for the comic relief."

"My cousin is right." The man Bella now knew was James extended a hand toward her. "There's something about it that speaks to my inner nature." He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it, his lips lingering for a second too long. Bella fought the urge to pull away. His kiss burned.

James gestured at the empty space on the seat next to her. "May I be so bold?"

Bella swallowed, hard, and nodded.

James' cousin flopped down into the booth next to Alice. He threw an arm around her shoulder and announced, "I'm Jacob Black" to no one in particular. Alice didn't seem to notice his presumptuousness; she too was caught up in James' strange allure.

"And I am James. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance …" He left the end of the sentence dangling, tilting his head in a questioning manner. Bella couldn't place it, but there was something different about the way James spoke; a hint of an accent perhaps?

Bella's voice squeaked as she tried to speak. Clearing her throat, she tried again, this time with more success. "Bella. Swan." She gestured at Alice, whose mouth was still slightly agape. "Alice Brandon."

James smiled. A shiver ran down Bella's spine. His teeth were just a little too white, too gleaming. His canine teeth were also just a little on the sharp side. Bella's fear was tainted with something else, however, something that made her want to move closer to him, take her chances with him, whatever the cost.

Jacob suddenly leaned on the table, making the laminate groan. "I heard the greatest joke the other day. You guys want to hear it?" He didn't wait for a response. "'How do a blonde's brain cells die?' 'They die _alone_.'"

The table grew silent for a second as Jacob let the punch line sink in. Then, his laughter getting the better of him, he started howling and slammed a fist into the table so hard the glasses jumped. Bella and Alice looked at each other for a moment, in disbelief, before joining in. Something about Jacob was so sincere; he obviously thought the joke was the best they would have heard in years.

One side of James' mouth turned up in a half-smile. Bella was laughing so hard, she'd started to tear up, and through the saline coating her eyes, the smile seemed more sneer-like than amused.

After the three of them had regained their composure, more proper introductions were made. As it turned out, Jacob knew Bella's dad; he'd grown up on the Quileute reservation just outside the town Bella grew up in. He worked as a mechanic, and in his spare time, volunteered his services to the Forks Police Department. James was a second cousin on Jacob's mom's side, and had just recently moved to Seattle. The slight trace of accent Bella had heard earlier was from the treks he took through the European countryside after finishing college.

The four of them starting hanging out often after that first night; James was always wanting to be shown around Seattle. Alice was happy to oblige, taking them to different bars or clubs almost every weekend. Jacob and Bella tagged along, somewhat reluctantly, but soon formed a strong bond built on sarcasm and their mutual love of making fun of each other. Bella quickly grew to love Jacob as another brother, this one younger, but no less annoying.

Whereas Jacob was jolly and easygoing, his cousin was reserved and brooding. James seemed unwilling to let Bella out of his sight or thoughts for too long; he'd text her at random hours of the night or stop by the library "because he was in the neighborhood." Whenever she started feeling uneasy about his attentions, however, something came up to make her forget about her misgivings. The way her skin prickled when his brushed against hers, the pull of his eye contact; her thoughts didn't seem to be her own when he was around.

Edward's car pulled to a stop, shaking Bella from her thoughts, the small frown that'd been forming on her face melted away. He leaned over and touched her arm, slightly. "Bella, we're here. Do you want me to come in?"

Although she still couldn't bring herself to look at him, Bella nodded. "Please?" Her voice sounded tinny.

Edward got out of the car and ran around to open her door. Bella allowed herself to be helped from her seat, and the spark of the touch of Edward's hand on her bare arm brought her back to life. She wrapped her arms around him, tightly, ignoring his startled gasp. Looking up into his beautiful face, creased with worry, she gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry Edward. Here I am, being crazy again." She let him go, reluctantly, and started toward the entrance to the hospital.

"You're not being crazy." Edward ran a hand through his hair. "You're worried about your friends." The sound of his voice and the sight of the now-familiar gesture warmed Bella's heart even more, breaking the icy grip Emmett's text had formed. She sighed in relief.

"I hate when people I lo—" She stopped, changing her mind mid-word. For some reason she was wary of using the word love around Edward, even if she wasn't talking about him. She didn't want him getting the wrong idea about James and Jacob. "People I care about greatly are hurt."

Edward grew silent as they walked toward the information desk. Bella desperately wanted to take his hand in her own, feel the connection that seemed to be growing between them with every passing moment. _Wait, what?_ She berated herself, mentally, for being so silly. She'd barely known the guy 24 hours and she was already getting all moony-eyed. _It's just stress_, she assured herself. _I just need someone strong to hold onto right now. And from the looks of it, Edward's quite fit ... _Bella shook her head to clear it. _Now is definitely not the time for those thoughts.  
_

The nurse at the desk told them Jacob was in room 307 in the north ward. They headed toward the elevator in silence, Edward following a step behind. Bella knew she should probably tell Edward he could leave, that she'd get a ride home with Alice later that afternoon. If Bella knew her roommate as well as she thought she did, Alice was probably already here. She couldn't bring herself to turn him away, however, even if that meant a complicated set of introductions.

The elevator dinged as it came to a stop on the third floor. Before the doors had fully opened, a tiny thing crashed into Bella, knocking the wind out of her with the force of the hug.

"Bella! Oh Bella. I'm so glad you're here." Alice's eyes were red-rimmed. "I got Emmett's text and flew over here. I've been trying to call you!"

Bella savored the feeling of Alice's little arms around her for a second, then unwrapped herself and led the way out of the elevator. "I'm sorry Alice." The expression on her face turned sheepish. "I guess I sort of shut down for a little while. Ask Edward," she gestured behind her, "I didn't say much of anything on the way over here."

Alice raised her eyebrows quizzically, looking pointedly at Bella as if to say, "We'll be having a discussion about why you showed up with him later, missy."

Bella looked toward the end of the hall, ignoring her roommate's intrigue at the awkward—soon to become even more so—situation. "Are they …?" She trailed off, hoping Alice would take the hint and get back to the matter at hand.

"They're both okay. James has already been discharged, with some cuts and bruises and a broken arm. Jacob's in worse shape, Honey, but they say he's going to be fine in a few days. They're both in the room."

Bella was already walking toward the end of the hall. She got to the door of room 307 and paused, looking back at Edward. He looked unsure of what to do or where to go. His hands moved from his pockets to his hair to his neck and back down again. Alice put a hand on the door lever. Bella turned to her. "I'll be right in."

"Edward?" He looked at her through his thick frames. Bella could see his confliction from the doorway. She pointed at a chair sitting across the hall from the room in which James and Jacob were waiting. "Will you wait for me?"

The crooked smile appeared on his face for such a short time, Bella thought she might have imagined it. But Edward made his way toward her, then settled into the chair. A part of her yelled _this isn't fair to him! _But she ignored it. She wanted him to be there when she got done. She was being selfish, and she knew it, but she couldn't make herself turn him loose.

Turning back to the doorway, Bella took a deep breath. "I'll be out in a little while."

While entering the room, she could just make out Edward's muted words behind her, "I'll be here as long as you need."

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**A/N: And so, the titular "bad boys" finally make their appearance! Congrats to those of you who were on the right track. **hammondgirl **was the first, and most admant, reader to positively identify James and Jacob, the scoundrels. Congrats to her!**

**Many of you have commented that you'd like to see Edward in his glasses ... check out my profile for a link to a terrible, completely thrown together example ... which is pretty much just an excuse to look a picture of gorgeous Robby P. ;)**

**Also in my profile, a link to "Hungry Like the Wolf," the Duran Duran song sung/massacred by J&J, just because it adds to the image of them performing it at a Karaoke bar.  
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**Please review, if you're moved to!  
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	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: Hello all. I'm sorry I haven't been able to personally respond to everyone's reviews for the last chapter. This week has been nuts. AHelm and I went up to Dallas ... and met Rob on the Twilight Tour. *squee!* Just know that I am truly appreciative of each and every one of you for reading and telling me what you think. Your responses keep me writing.**

**New POV this week ... and it was tough!  
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**Alice closed the door to the room gently, not wanting to wake Jacob. She looked at the bed and man lying under the thin blanket, willing the tears in her eyes not to drop. _He's going to be fine_, she told herself. She went to the side of the bed and sat down in an empty chair next to it.

James lifted himself gingerly from his perch on the window ledge. Making his way around to where Alice was sitting, he placed his good hand on her shoulder. Alice didn't like the pressure she felt from his touch, but she couldn't very well shrug it off. Not today. She crossed her left leg over her right knee and jiggled the brand new Manolo that was now hanging in midair. Today's shopping trip had been dulled by the news of the accident. She'd obviously have to drag Bella on another trip to the mall tomorrow, when they were sure Jacob was going to make a full recovery.

"Is Bella here?" James looked toward the hallway.

"She is. She'll be in in a second."

"What is she doing out there?"

Alice fought the urge to snap at James. His constant possessiveness of Bella or any information about her had gotten old, fast. Alice saw through his carefully cultivated "devoted friend" facade and it worried her. Of course, she couldn't prophesize his future actions, but she could read people well enough to know when they hid ulterior motives.

On a sunny afternoon about a month ago, Alice was over at the boys' apartment, hanging out with Jacob, who had generously offered to change the oil in the Porsche. Jacob was under the car, getting oil all over himself, and Alice sat in a beach chair, tanning, when James returned from "running errands." Alice had been growing suspicious of James' motives toward Bella for quite some time. Noticing that he'd brought no bags from the car, she'd smiled and innocently asked him how his errands had gone. James had narrowed his eyes, responding with, "They went fine Alice, thank you for asking," before slinking into the house.

When Alice got home that night, she'd asked Bella about her day. Bella told her how she'd run into James at the market. "And they don't even live near here," she'd mentioned offhandedly. "Weird, huh?" Alice decided not to worry Bella with her doubts about the strange man, but made sure to put the day's events into her mental file labeled "James is a Creepster."

"She'll be in soon James." Alice avoided mentioning who was sitting outside. James was too much of a loose cannon, and he'd already had a lot of stress placed on him today. There was no telling what would happen if he caught a whiff of Bella's intentions toward Edward, or vice versa. Alice turned her attention back to the boy lying in the bed.

Jacob was too still. It unnerved Alice to see her usually active friend so … inactive. She gently wrapped one of her tiny hands around Jacob's enormous one, careful to avoid shifting the myriad of IV tubes and wires running from him to the incessantly beeping machines behind his bed. Jacob's skin was clammy and grayish; Alice felt herself regaining some of her normal moxie as she thought about how the hospital gown he was wearing did nothing for his complexion.

The door behind her opened quietly. Alice heard Bella's sharp intake of breath as she walked toward the bed. Alice looked up at her startled face and watched as the tears began slowly running down her cheeks. Alice got up and took one of Bella's hands in her own, squeezing it tightly. James lurked in the background, the selfish glint in his eye dimming only slightly at the sight of Bella's distress.

Bella walked to the head of the bed, never taking her eyes off of Jacob. Alice followed, their hands still tightly clasped. Bella brushed a strand of long hair off of his face, tucking it behind his ear. She leaned down and kissed him, gently, on the forehead.

A soft humming noise came from the prone figure. Jacob's eyelids fluttered and then opened, his dark, almost black irises sparkling softly through a pain-killer induced haze. "Bells." A small laugh escaped his lips. "All these months and it takes me almost dying to get you to kiss me?"

Alice grinned at the joke. _He's going to be fine._ Letting go of Bella's hand, she danced to the other side of the bed.

"And Alice. You'd think I'd actually died, waking up to two angels like you hovering over me."

Alice and Bella groaned in tandem. Bella lightly smacked Jacob on the chest, eliciting a theatrical wince of pain, followed by a chuckle. "Easy there Bells. You don't know your own strength."

"I'm so glad you're OK!" Bella's smile was genuine, warm. Alice could feel the same feeling coursing through her veins. When she'd first gotten Emmett's text, she'd felt her blood grow cold. She was just now getting back to a comfortable temperature. _Speaking of …_

The door opened, slamming against the wall. A man who looked like he could barely fit through the door frame, dressed in dress slacks, a white button-up shirt and tie—and wearing a gun in a shoulder holster—sauntered into the room, pushing a wheelchair. In it was seated a smaller, older version of Jacob.

"Emmett!" Bella glowered at her older brother's lack of respect.

The big man mimicked his sister's tone. "Bella!" Alice laughed. Leave it to Emmett to find a way to brighten a hospital room with his mere presence.

Emmett was all smiles as he pushed the chair toward the bed. Alice glided out of the way, planting a kiss on the cheek of her adopted "brother."

Jacob turned his head toward the two men, attempting a feeble grin. "Hey Emmett, hey Dad."

Billy Black looked at his son. "Jacob." Alice could hear the mixture of fear, anger and relief hiding behind that simple word. "It's good to see you awake, Son. The doctors say good things."

"I've had worse, Dad. It's just a couple broken ribs and a slight concussion."

Billy Black scowled, but his ire wasn't directed completely toward his son. "James?" James walked forward from where he'd been half-hidden in the shadows at the back of the room. Alice shuddered. _That guy is creepy._

"Hello Billy." The tone of James' voice wasn't exactly warm.

Billy swiveled his chair around so that he could see James while still keeping an eye on his son.

"I'm glad to see you're all right. Motorcycle accidents have a terrible way of ending badly."

Alice watched as James struggled with his temper. She'd seen what could happen when James lost his self-control. It wasn't a pretty sight. Sliding behind Bella's chair, she whispered in her ear: "I'll be outside." Bella nodded, whispering back, "Please tell Edward I'll be out soon?"

Alice winked at Emmett as she left the room. She saw Edward sitting across from the doorway, looking terribly uncomfortable. Alighting herself in the chair next to him, Alice placed a hand on his jiggling knee.

"Bella will be out in a minute, Edward." She smiled, trying to make him a little less ill at ease. She saw bright things for Bella in this boy's future; if she could do anything to smooth the awkward situation her roommate had placed them both in, she would try. Edward seemed to calm down, if only a little, as he turned to her.

"What's going on, Alice?"

From their vantage point in the hall, they could see Jacob lying in bed, Bella sitting on one side, Billy and Emmett on the other. James was hidden from view.

"Two friends of ours got in an accident this morning. They were being reckless, riding their motorcycles too fast, too soon after a rain. I don't know the entire story, but they both managed to escape total death." Alice giggled, her relief that Jacob was going to be OK making her feel much more like herself.

She pointed to the room. "That guy in the bed? That's Jacob. He's like a little brother to both Bella and me."

Edward interjected. "_Little_ brother?"

Alice laughed. "They grow them big in these parts."

She continued, pointing out the rest of the people in the room. "The guy on the other side of the bed, in the wheelchair, is Billy, Jacob's dad. Behind him is Emmett, Bella's brother. He's a detective with Seattle PD, which is what's with the gun."

Edward shifted in his seat.

Alice turned to him, a gleam in her eye. "Don't worry, he's never fired it. Yet."

Edward let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "I thought you said two friends?"

Alice grimaced. "James is in there too, you just can't see him from here."

Edward pushed a hand through his hair and adjusted his glasses. Alice smiled at how endearing the movements were; she could see why Bella was so smitten. After hooking herself a shaggy haired, blue-eyed librarian, Alice was going to pull out her matchmaking skills and put them to work.

"Does Jasper know James?" Edward looked at her; the darkness of his eyes gave Alice a start.

"Um, he might?" Alice knew Jasper had never hung out with the four of them—James, Jacob, Bella and her—when they'd gone on one of their many jaunts around town; she definitely would have taken notice of Jasper long before last night if he had.

Edward continued his strange line of questioning. "Does he go to the library a lot, looking for Bella?"

Alice finally realized what he was getting at. She knew quite well James' penchant for showing up wherever Bella could be found. She groaned. "Jasper's mentioned him, I'm guessing?"

Edward shrugged. "He's talked about some guy named James that's always asking after Bella. I guess he really doesn't like the guy. I know you don't really know him," Edward paused and looked Alice in the eyes, his green eyes soft. He smiled. "Yet. But Jasper's got a really bizarre ability of knowing what people are like just from being around them. James really rubs him the wrong way."

_That makes two of us_, Alice thought before switching gears. "So, Jasper," she gave Edward a dazzling smile. "What else can you tell me about him?"

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**A/N: Alice is really hard to write. Like really hard. There's just so much going on in that little, adorable noggin of hers. Thoughts on how I did?**

**Now, to get down to work on Chapter 9 ... Reviews, like Rob, are love!**

**P.S.—Who else is RIDICULOUSLY excited that the movie opens in six days?!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: What a week it's been. Finally, after months of waiting, Twilight was released ... and I loved it. I know everyone has differing opinions on the movie, what was good and what was bad, but overall, I thought it was really quite fun. And, not to be spoilery, but Jasper with the baseball bat? Dear lord.**

**Sorry this chapter took longer than normal ... I do hope you'll forgive. :)  
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**Edward smiled as the tiny girl perched in the chair next to him repeated a condensed version of the information he'd just given her.

"So, he grew up on a ranch in Texas, loves to play the guitar and sing, enjoys reading books from unknown and up and coming authors, and doesn't like Mexican food because of some big food poisoning mess a few years ago. Does that about cover it?" Alice ticked each fact off on a finger and grinned as she bounced in her seat.

Edward wondered how such a ball of energy could stand sitting still in a hospital as long as they had. He looked at his watch and sighed; they'd been there for more than two hours. Talking to Alice helped take his mind off the predicament he found himself in—sitting outside a stranger's hospital room because a bizarre yet alluring girl he barely knew asked him to.

"Yeah, that about covers it. Although, Jasper can be a pretty private person; it might take a little while to get him to open up fully."

Alice shooed away his warning with a wave of her hand. "I'll be able to crack his shell, no problem."

Edward could have worried about the nonchalant way Alice brushed him off if it wasn't for having seen the two of them together last night. Jasper had never looked happier. And, as far as he could tell, behind her perky, self-confident exterior, Alice hid the beginnings of some serious feelings.

Movement made Edward look toward the end of the hallway. Walking towards them was a gorgeous, statuesque blonde dressed in aqua scrubs. Her hair fell in waves down to her waist; she brushed the left side back over her shoulder and swung it around like she belonged in a shampoo commercial. If he'd been watching her walk toward him on TV, time would have gone into slow motion. Edward stared for a moment before a growl from Alice made him turn his head. Her eyes were narrowed and all traces of the mirth they'd held a few seconds prior were gone. The look was menacing.

Edward ran a hand through his hair and looked down at his shoes. "I prefer brunettes," he mumbled.

He didn't raise his eyes again until he heard a commotion directly in front of him. Looking up, Edward noticed that the blonde was now tangled up in Bella's brother's arms, trying to avoid falling into the wheelchair Emmett had been backing out of the room. Her face was contorted in a grimace; Emmett's displayed a range of emotions, running the gamut from surprise to lust to regret.

"Oh, ma'am, I'm so sorry." Emmett unwound his giant arms from the body of the blonde, with what looked like reluctance, and swiveled the wheelchair holding Jacob's dad around to face her.

Billy smiled at the pretty woman. "Emmett doesn't always look where he's going. His heart's in the right place, however, Miss …"

The blonde straightened her scrub top and smiled a bright smile at Billy. "Dr. Rosalie Hale." She leaned to shake Billy's hand and then shot a glance at Emmett.

Edward could feel Alice start jiggling in her seat again. He looked over at her and noticed a mischievous glint in her eye. She hopped up and headed over to Emmett's side, sticking her hand out at the doctor.

"Hi. I'm Alice." Rosalie shook her hand tentatively, her face uncertain. Alice stuck her free thumb out at Emmett, who was still standing somewhat dumbstruck behind Billy's chair. "And this big lug is Emmett Swan. Are you here to look in on Jacob?"

Rosalie nodded, reaching for the chart by the door. "I am. Are you all family?"

Billy spoke. "I am his father, Billy Black, Dr. Hale. How's he doing?"

Rosalie checked over his chart and then looked at Billy. "He's doing really well. And healing rather quickly, it seems. Does your family have mutant genes?" She chuckled at her own joke.

Emmett, finally coming out of his stupor, guffawed loudly, causing Rosalie to start. "If it wasn't for the hair, you'd be a perfect Professor X, Billy. That's good news, though, eh?" He clapped the man in the wheelchair on the back, causing the chair to roll forward a bit. "When's he going to be able to go home?"

Edward noticed a sparkle of excitement in Rosalie's eyes as she gave Emmett a stern look. He recognized it as the same sparkle he saw in both Alice and Jasper's eyes last night. Groaning softly, he ran a hand through his hair. _Does everyone have to pair off in front of me?_

"I think he'll be ready to go home tomorrow at some point, Mr. Swan, Mr. Black."

Relief bloomed on Billy's face, but before he could express it in words, Emmett butted in. "It's Detective Swan, actually." He turned his torso slightly so that his gun and badge were visible. "But you can call me Emmett, Dr. Hale." Emmett grinned. Edward rolled his eyes. Even as a guy who was fully certain of his attraction to women, he knew Rosalie was done for.

Rosalie's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as she straightened up and shook her head slightly as if to clear the cobwebs. "Well, Emmett, I feel so much safer to know that our police force has such _coordinated_ men as yourself protecting and serving." Her sarcasm was evident, yet playful. Edward fought the urge to groan louder. Billy chuckled. Rosalie continued, not noticing Edward's obvious distress. "And, it's Rosalie."

"Ma'am." Emmett pretended to tip an imaginary hat in her direction. "I'd like to make my earlier bullishness up to you, if I might. Billy and I were on our way to the cafeteria for some coffee. Would you care for a cup?"

Rosalie's pretense of annoyance wore off as she contemplated Emmett's offer. "I was heading down toward the cafeteria after checking on Jacob, actually …"

Emmett pounced on the opportunity, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from Rosalie and turning his attention toward Billy. "Excellent. Billy, I'll grab you a cup."

Billy smiled. "It best not be cold when you get it back here, _Detective_ Swan," he said as he rolled his chair back into the room. Emmett and Rosalie walked off toward the end of the hallway; Emmett's laugh continued to ring through the building even after they'd turned the corner.

Bella spoke to Billy softly, placing a kiss on his cheek, and traded him places at Jacob's bedside. She turned to walk out the door. Edward automatically moved to stand, to move toward her, when an arm shot out from behind the wall and grabbed Bella's elbow.

She turned toward the body belonging to the arm and smiled, tensely.

"James." The name came out like a hiss. Edward hadn't realized Alice was standing next to him again; her movements were quick and oddly quiet. The way she said James' name, however, made the hair on the back of Edward's neck stand at attention. His brow knotted and his hands clenched in fists at his side. The hand on Bella's arm released, slightly, and trailed down her skin as it was removed. Edward felt his lips curl back in a sneer.

Bella shivered, as if she was cold, and rubbed a hand on the trail James' hand had followed. She turned her eyes toward Edward, looking startled when she saw his face. Edward watched as her expression changed and quickly smoothed his to look caring. _What is it about this girl that brings out the animal in me? _Edward realized he'd been nearly ready to pounce on the man attached to the offending limb. As Bella walked out of the room, he attempted to regain his composure.

"Edward," she began, apologetically. "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

Edward grimaced internally. _Great. She thinks I'm mad at her. _"It's OK, Bella. Alice and I have been talking."

"I've been pumping him for information about Jasper." Alice took her roommate's arm in hers. "He's been a very willing informant."

Bella laughed, looking from Alice to Edward. "She didn't threaten bodily harm, did she? She's more vicious than she looks. She's been known to rip a few heads off in order to make things go her way."

Alice's face darkened as a man came up to their little circle. "I'm likely to do it again, too," she muttered so low that Edward barely caught it.

"Alice." James said the name as though it tasted bitter. Edward watched as his eyes slowly moved across Bella—Edward didn't want to imagine what thoughts were running through his mind—and then progressed their way to meet Edward's. _Sizing up the competition. _Edward stood straighter and realized that he had a few inches on the other man. Perhaps not in the biceps and forearms—James looked as though he spent more than a few hours in the weight room—but in height for sure. And he was fast.

"Hello …" Edward left the questioning greeting hanging in the air.

"I am James."

"Edward Cullen."

Edward continued to meet James' gaze. He would have stood there all day, proving he wasn't going to back down, if it wasn't for Bella's interjection.

"Edward, um, we can go now. Jacob needs to rest."

Edward reluctantly tore his eyes away from their battleground. He looked into Bella's and instantly felt relaxed, at ease. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He watched as Bella's mouth fell open slightly, in an inaudible gasp, and wondered, curiously, what had caused her to do that.

Alice tugged at Bella's sleeve, pulling her down to whisper in her ear. As Bella listened, a blush crept into her cheeks, but she smiled at the same time. She cocked her head in Edward's direction, a twinkle in her eye.

"Jasper should be getting home about now, right Edward?" Bella asked. Alice bubbled beside her.

Edward glanced at his watch before answering. "Yeah, he should."

Alice jumped in. "Well, we wouldn't want to leave him hanging on Jacob's status, now would we?"

Edward wasn't sure where this train was headed. Jasper barely knew Jacob. "Um, no?"

"We should be getting back to tell him the good news, right?" Alice winked.

Edward's brain kicked into gear. _They want to go back to your place, idiot._ Sometimes Edward thought his subconscious was more intelligent than he was. "Oh, of course. Let's go to the apartment. Jasper will be worried."

James cleared his throat. Edward had almost forgotten he was standing there. Almost. The hair standing up on the back of his neck was a good reminder.

"It was … good … to meet you James. I'm glad you and Jacob will be OK." Edward met James' eyes for one last tense moment.

Alice wrapped her free arm around Edward's and pulled both he and Bella toward the exit. "See ya James!"

Bella gave James a smile. "Heal quick, James. See you soon."

Edward could feel James' eyes attempt to burn a hole in the back of his head as he walked away, chuckling to himself.

***

The music was blaring out of the apartment as Edward led Bella and Alice down the hall. Edward grimaced slightly, Jasper liked to listen to music—loudly—when no one else was home.

The apartment door was vibrating with the force of the music coming from behind it. _Ray LaMontagne_, Edward thought, with a slight smile. Over the blaring horns and drums, they could hear Jasper singing along at the top of his lungs.

"And baby, the way you move me, it's crazy. It's like you see right through me. And you make it easier … You please me and you don't even have to try."

Alice turned to Bella, a huge grin on her face. "He's singing."

Bella smiled back at her. "'You Are the Best Thing,' no less."

Edward was surprised. He turned to the girls as he put a hand on the doorknob. "You two are Ray LaMontagne fans?"

Alice turned to him, her grey eyes sparkling. "Bella is. She's been listening to this song on repeat for the past few weeks, so I know it. It's … it's got some great lyrics."

Bella chuckled. Edward knew that Jasper liked to listen to music that fit with his moods; he should have figured Bella knew that about him too and had passed it on to Alice. He wondered why Alice had pressed him so hard for information back in the hospital; he was sure Bella knew as much about Jasper as he did, probably even more.

Edward yelled as he opened the door. "Jazz! I'm home! And I brought company!"

Jasper rounded the corner from the kitchen into the living room, still singing along. His mouth clamped shut when he saw who was standing in the entry; his cheeks turned red.

"Uh, hey guys …" Jasper looked at Edward, avoiding making eye contact with the giggling girls.

Alice danced over to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling his shoulders down to her level so she could plant a somewhat-unchaste kiss on his cheek. Jasper's face, still red from a moment prior, turned a shade darker, while a huge smile appeared.

Edward laughed at his friend's mix of discomfort and amusement. He led Bella into the living room, leaving Jasper and Alice alone in the entry.

"This is the living room. The bedrooms and bathroom are down that hallway. The kitchen is behind us, obviously." Out of the company of others, Edward was yet again unsure of how to act around Bella. He couldn't find a comfortable position; shifting from foot to foot and moving his hands from his pockets to crossing his arms made him seem more like he had to pee than anything else.

Bella looked around, either oblivious to his plight or kind enough to ignore it. "This is a nice place. Sparse," she said with a smile. "But nice. Jasper's last place was a bit of a dive." Bella turned and walked close to Edward; the scent of strawberries made his heart start to race.

"Bella …" Edward pushed his glasses back into position. The thoughts in his head were battling it out like gladiators in the ring. _Tell her how you feel. Tell her she's crazy. Tell her _you're_ crazy. Kiss her. Run away! Take her to your room, now._

"My last apartment was not a dive, thank you. It had character." Jasper and Alice walked into the living room, hand in hand; Jasper's hair looked a little messier than usual. Alice danced to the kitchen and started opening cupboards like she lived there. Bella wandered into the kitchen behind her, looking at a pizza delivery menu stuck on the fridge. "Mind if we order?" She took the menu down and waved it in the air. "I'm starved." Alice found a glass and then went to root around in the fridge.

Edward sighed. Raising an eyebrow at Jasper, he wondered if this sight was going to become more commonplace. Part of him—and if he was honest, a large part—certainly hoped so.

***

The four of them sat around the kitchen table, talking, long after the pizza was finished. Alice had pulled some beers out of the "abyss that was the fridge"—her words, of course—and they'd finished those off too.

Edward was feeling much more at ease with Bella after a few hours and a few beers. He found that they shared a love of more than just Shakespeare—Kurt Vonnegut was one of her favorites and she'd read _Catch 22_ at least three times. Her wit also amused him; she was extremely imaginative and sarcastic. Even Jasper, who held a heavyweight title in facetiousness, could barely hold his own when she got on a roll. The two of them were also having a little too much fun making googly eyes behind Alice and Jasper's backs.

The light was dimming outside when Alice suggested a movie. She and Jasper went to the shelves holding Jasper and Edward's combined DVD collection to decide on one to watch while Edward and Bella settled on the couch.

Edward sat on one side, willing Bella to make a decision to sit in the middle. His silent prayers to Cupid were answered when she sat down next to him; close, but not too close. She sighed as she sat.

"Are you OK?" Edward's mood went from elated to worried in two seconds flat. He felt very … protective … of Bella. As the night wore on, he'd begun to realize just how quickly and deeply he was falling. The most frightening part was that he didn't care. He'd do pretty much anything to keep a smile on her face.

She smiled up at him. "I'm great, Edward. It's just been a long day. It feels good to relax."

Jasper moved toward the TV while Alice glided to the loveseat. Kicking off her shoes, she curled her legs underneath her. Jasper took the seat next to her after dimming the overhead light; she nestled into his side. Bella smiled at the sight. Edward desperately wanted Bella to feel as at ease with him as it seemed Alice did with Jasper, but he would wait. After last night's kissing incident, Edward was unsure of when or if he should make the "second" first move.

The opening credits of _Love Actually_ started playing. Bella snorted. "Isn't 15 times enough for you Al?"

Alice giggled. "I'm just surprised they had this movie, is all."

Jasper and Edward spoke at the same time.

"It's Edward's."

"It was a gift from my mom."

The girls laughed. Bella looked up at Edward, her eyes once again reminding him of melting chocolate. A strand of her hair fell into her face; without thinking, Edward reached up and tucked it behind her ear. The gesture startled them both.

Edward stuttered, "I, uh …"

Bella shivered, involuntarily. Edward reached behind her to grab the blanket haphazardly thrown over the back of the couch. He opened it, wrapping one end around her and the placing the other on his lap. Bella breathed out through her nose, quickly. The noise sounded definitive; Edward thought she'd just come to some sort of decision. Moving quickly, Bella grabbed a pillow off the unused end of the couch and put in on Edward's lap, scooting so that she could lay her head on it and still be under the blanket.

Edward stiffened for a second, surprised at her action. The weight and warmth of her body leaning on his, however, relaxed him again and he turned his eyes to the television, not even noticing when he began softly brushing his fingers through her hair.

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**A/N: Was it worth the wait? Let me know what you think. Next chapter, I think we shall be seeing a bit from everyone's favorite most-recent vegetarian vamp (who's not a vamp in this story, but you know who I mean) ...  
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**Thank you to **towrite **for the inspired idea to have Rosalie show up at the hospital!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: I do hope this posting two weeks apart does not continue to be a trend. I guess I should have started preparations for the holidays a bit sooner, so that I wouldn't have to feel like I was a chicken running around with my head cut off. like I have recently. I have two weeks off, starting Dec. 19, so I hope to get a bit of a backlog when it comes to this story. I apologize again for the delay. Also, please forgive me for not responding to your reviews personally. I really enjoy reading them and learning what you think about my writing. Thanks, as always, for being my muses.  
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**Before we begin, you should know that this chapter is probably not what you might have expected to come from this story. The backbone of BB&BN is the relationship between Bella and Edward, but Jasper and Alice play a pretty prominent secondary role. I wanted to give them a little time to figure out their relationship, because I love them so dearly, before B&E come to a resolution (because, do not fret, they certainly will). ****From Chapter 11 on, it will be all B&E, most of the time. I hope you like the chapter regardless.****  
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**Jasper watched as Edward ran his fingers through Bella's hair. Her eyes looked at the TV screen, but they were unfocused, sleepy. Putting his chin in his free palm, Edward leaned his elbow on the sofa's arm, also unaware of the movie wrapping up before them.

Alice shifted, slightly, bringing Jasper's attention back to more important matters. He looked down at the top of her head, smiling at the sight of the hair she obviously spent quite a bit of time on each morning smushed into his shirt. Marveling at how well her body fit into the bend of his, he laughed softly, causing Alice to turn her head up. She looked up at him, her grey eyes sparkling. The look she gave him made him feel like his chest was going to explode. _Geeze Jazz_, he thought. _You've known the girl for less than 24 hours. You _seriously_ need to stop reading Cosmo._

"How do you do that?" he whispered.

"Do what?" Alice's expression turned more serious.

Jasper brushed the back of his hand down the side of her face. She shivered, involuntarily, then wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled closer to his chest. "Do what?" she asked again. Jasper smiled; Alice certainly wasn't one to back down from anything.

"Make me feel things."

"What kind of things?"

Jasper laughed again. This tiny, pixie girl would be the death of any manliness he had left.

"These kind of things." Jasper took one of Alice's hands off his waist and put in on his chest, over his heart. He held it there while he leaned his face down. He pressed his lips softly to hers, feeling his heart speed up like a hummingbird's wings. Alice gasped. Pulling away, reluctantly, he looked at her. "Those kind of things."

Alice took his hand and moved it to her chest. Jasper felt the warmth of her skin emanating from beneath her thin t-shirt. He drew a finger across her collarbone, which was peeking out from underneath her collar. As he did so, he felt Alice's heart begin to race. She stretched to meet his face, returning his gesture from a moment before. This time the kiss was deeper, he could feel the passion bubbling just beneath the surface. Alice reached up and ran her nimble fingers through his blond curls, tugging slightly. Her bubble-gum tongue flickered out to run across his top lip, her teeth then nipped lightly at the bottom. Jasper felt a low growl rumble from his throat.

_This girl knows what she's doing._ Jasper pulled back; trying to catch his breath. His heart panged as Alice's expression darkened. Jasper didn't exactly want to stop where he thought this was headed, but a part of him, the more responsible part of him, realized that they'd only known each other for mere hours. He was raised to be a gentleman; listening to and acting upon the other, less responsible thoughts running through his mind would not be proper. He smiled, reassuringly, whispering, "What am I going to do with you, Miss Brandon?"

Alice leaned in toward his ear, her soft breath giving him goose bumps as she kissed his earlobe. Jasper shifted, growing increasingly aware of the effect Alice's actions were having on more than just his heart.

"Anything you want, Mr. Whitlock."

_Wait, what?_ Time seemed to stand still as Jasper's mind worked over Alice's words. His imagination raced to places he'd never dared let it go before. Alice in nothing but one of his button down shirts. Alice wearing only boyshorts and a matching bra, her porcelain skin glowing against his sheets. Alice moaning out his name …

The credits began to scroll across the screen. Alice rose from the loveseat, giggling, as if she could see what images were in his mind. She extended a hand to Jasper. He looked up at her, a bit hesitant, but rose as well, taking her hand and following her lead.

Edward coughed, slightly, stopping Jasper in his tracks. Still holding tightly onto Alice's outstretched arm, he turned toward the couch. Bella was asleep, still in Edward's lap, softly murmuring something about Clark Kent and phone booths. Edward's face held a mix of emotions, the most prominent of which was uncertainty.

Jasper shrugged his shoulders. "She's had a long day Ed. I don't think it would hurt anyone to let her sleep here for the night." He could feel his face turning red as he continued, his voice lower, "Plus, I don't think Alice is going home tonight either." Her soft giggles behind him were like music to Jasper's ears.

Edward looked down at the girl in his lap. "Should I leave her on the couch?"

Alice eased up to Jasper's side. She wrinkled her nose as she spoke. "That doesn't look all that comfortable." Jasper swept his eyes appraisingly over the somewhat ratty piece of furniture. The throw blanket now covering Bella had been strategically placed so as to cover an ever-growing tear in the upholstery. The golden color it had once been was faded to cream, in some places more than others. And the seat cushions were sagging from years of use. _Guess that's what you get for spending $25 at Goodwill_, he thought.

Alice continued, "Besides, you have to get up at some point anyway. Why not just take her to your room?"

Edward's eyes shot toward Alice at the same time that Jasper whipped his head around to look at her. Her face was a mask of innocence, but there was a glimmer in her eye that Jasper was beginning to realize showed up a lot. Alice just stared right back at him, her mannerisms signifying that absolutely nothing in her suggestion was out of the ordinary.

After a moment of staring at each other, Edward looked down and ran a hand through his hair. Alice squeezed Jasper's hand. _She knows she's won. _Jasper shook his head, amazed.

Edward got up off the couch, gingerly lifting Bella in his arms. She threw her arms around his neck, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, but didn't seem to wake up completely. "Mmm," she murmured. The blush creeping up Edward's neck was the color of a stop sign.

Jasper looked at Alice and smiled. She tugged slightly on the hand she was still holding, taking steps toward his bedroom.

Edward walked in the opposite direction, mumbling something about putting her to bed and then sleeping on the couch.

Jasper let himself be pulled toward his door. Alice giggled again. "Ten bucks he's not out here in the morning."

After following Alice into his bedroom, Jasper shut the door and then leaned against it. Alice let go of his hand, taking a tour of his room. She trailed her fingers across his bed as she walked past it, reading the titles of the numerous books on his bookshelf. She knelt, picking up random CDs from the pile strewn next to his stereo. She opened the player and shut it again, seemingly satisfied with what she found.

Jasper watched, in awe. Everything about Alice was graceful, from the way she tilted her head slightly to read a book's spine or her crouch near the floor. After hitting the play button, she rose and spun around on the balls of her feet; Jasper couldn't help but picture her in a sparkling white tutu, dancing with the other ballerinas in a production of Swan Lake.

"Were you a dancer?" Jasper hadn't moved from his place at the door. He felt like his feet had become cemented in place. As much as his body ached to be close to hers, he just couldn't take the first step. He found himself thinking about the previous night, how nervous he'd been before heading to dinner. He'd wanted to make a good impression; Bella was so certain he and Alice would hit it off. He made a mental note to thank her later.

The first notes of Jasper's new favorite song started playing. He'd been listening to it on repeat all day. Ray LaMontagne's voice sang the words that had never seemed truer than at that moment. _Baby, it's been a long day, baby. Things ain't been going my way. And now I need you here, to clear my mind all the time._

Alice took a step closer to Jasper's bed. "I was, and still am. I dabble, from time to time." She tucked one leg under her as she sat and patted the bed next to her.

Jasper swallowed. His confidence seemed to have dawdled in the hallway, and was now stuck on the other side of the door.

Alice reached an arm out, slowly running it down the thin, yet powerful leg bent underneath her body. Jasper watched as she deftly pulled off a shoe that probably cost more than everything in his closet combined. She dangled it off the tip of her fingertip for a second before letting it drop to the floor.

The thud of the shoe on the carpet brought Jasper out of his trance. With unnatural quickness, he moved in front of Alice, pushing the hand reaching for her other shoe aside. "Allow me." He went down on one knee, lifting her ankle toward him with one hand while the other ran down her skin-tight jean-clad calf. He could feel her muscles tense as he raised her foot. He pulled the shoe off, placing it gingerly on the ground next to the other, and kissed the top of her arch. He peered up at her through his blond curls, knowing that the passion he felt for her was reflected in his eyes.

Alice stared, much of the bravado she'd been projecting since they met stripped away. Her left hand shook as it reached toward his chin. Jasper kissed her palm and then rose, putting one arm on each side of Alice's body. She sat up straighter, looking him directly in the eye.

The CD moved onto the next track. _How appropriate_, Jasper thought as he began to serenade.

"There comes a time, a time in everyone's life, when nothing seems to go your way, when nothing seems to turn out right."

He kissed the tip of Alice's nose.

"There may come a time, you just can't seem to find your place. For every door you open, seems like you get two slammed in your face."

He kissed Alice's forehead.

"That's when you need someone, someone that you, you can call. When all your faith is gone, when it feels like you can't go on."

He kissed Alice's fluttering eyelid.

"Let it be me, let it be me, if it's a friend that you need, Oh god, please Alice, let it be me."

Jasper moved to kiss her mouth, but Alice met him halfway. She flung her arms around his neck, dragging him on top of her and onto the bed.

Jasper felt himself falling, falling out of time and out of place. In an instant, Alice became his Sun. And nothing could make him turn back now.

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**A/N: So? Do you forgive me for moving a little away from B&E? I know a lot of you love Jasper as much as I do (BASEBALL SCENE), so I hope you've enjoyed this peek at he and Alice. B&E will return, in full force, next chapter. I Promise.  
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**P.S. - It's my birthday today! :)  
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	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: OK, OK, I know. It's been ages. I am sorry. The holidays totally messed me up ... I had two weeks off and I _meant _to write a ton on this story and do a myriad of other things, but I spent a lot of time making Christmas presents and watching bad TV instead. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are on your way to having the best year ever.**

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and great responses to my J/A chapter. I also meant to respond to all of you over the holiday ... Needless to say, I'm _so very glad_ you liked it.**

**Now, back to B&E love ... (EDIT: A big thank you to AHelm for planting the seeds of ideas in my head, and always being a brain to bounce things off whenever I have a problem. I am chagrined.)  
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**Bella opened her eyes to the warmth of a ray of sun hitting her face. The alarm was softly singing to her.

_There used to be nothing in common, there used to be nothing to share.  
It used to be sit by the window, and stare at what used to be there._

She smiled and rolled over, snuggling beneath the navy comforter. The down settled around her comfortably, heavy enough to make her feel secure, but not overly warm.

_Like a king in his court at his table, who is blind to the power he holds,  
I could never come to understand all the powers I had of my own._

_Wait a second_, she thought. _My comforter isn't navy._

_But that was then and she is now, I once was lost, with her I'm found, on this early April morning.  
Water falling from the sky, the sun that's breaking fills my eye, and it came without a warning now._

Bella rolled back toward the sunlight, this time making sure her eyes were open.

_I trust my love, I trust myself, I trust the love of someone else.  
I trust that I will get what I've been hoping, waiting for._

Edward came into view. He was still sleeping, his face a mask of serenity.

Bella stiffened slightly, unsure of how she'd come to be sleeping in Edward's bed. She pulled the comforter up slightly, looking down at her body, checking … She was wearing an overly large University of Washington t-shirt, which wasn't hers, and no bottoms. Her heart began to race slightly, until she noticed that Edward wasn't actually sleeping under the comforter with her. His lanky form was wrapped underneath a separate blanket.

_The prison walls are crashing down as winter dies without a sound, on this early April morning.  
Let the struggle end, the joy begin, it's true it's love I'm falling in, and it came without a warning now._

Bella raised her hand to her mouth and blew, testing for morning breath. _Not too bad_, she thought. Looking again at the man lying on the other side of the bed, an idea sprung to mind. She figured if she was going to hell … Slowly, she moved towards the man sleeping next to her. Inch by inch she moved, lessening the space between them. The pace was almost excruciating, but she had no idea of how heavy of a sleeper he was. Her mind was still half asleep, so the mental warning bells and flashing red lights attempting to force her to stifle her movements were somewhat muted.

After what seemed like eons, she found herself as close to him as she was going to get with the fluffy comforter pinned beneath him. She breathed in deeply, savoring the smell that permeated his sheets.

She watched his eyelashes flutter as his chest rose and fell with steady breaths. She found herself wanting, so badly, to reach out and brush the strands of hair falling over his eyebrows away from his face, if only to touch the hair that drove her so crazy. Her internal struggle against her ever-growing feelings for Edward was raging again; she couldn't understand how someone so … god-like … could ever want to be with her. She was much more like the lowly, unnamed mail-girl than the fabulous Lois Lane.

Bella was normally a practical girl; she liked to make sound decisions backed up by facts and solid hours of consideration. Falling in love at first sight was something that only happened in romantic comedies, not real life. She left spontaneity for people like Alice.

Bella knew she hadn't been fair to Edward. At all. The first time they met, a mere two nights ago, she'd used him to avoid an awkward situation. Then yesterday, she'd dragged him to the hospital room of a complete stranger, leaving him to be interrogated by a well-meaning but pushy Alice, and subjecting him to many of the crazier men in her life. Now, she was usurping the poor guy's bed. Since the first sight of his unruly bronze mop in the restaurant, however, and the shock she'd felt when his green eyes looked into hers, she'd been completely and irrevocably lost. Everything about him drew her in, and there wasn't a part of her that wanted to run the other way. She wouldn't lie; the intensity of her feelings toward Edward scared her a little, but the love she now admitted she was feeling dulled the fear.

That didn't mean, however, that he felt the same, or that she even deserved him, with her as of late terrible behavior. She mentally kicked herself in the shin before letting out a short sigh. As her breath blew across his face, Bella clamped a hand to her mouth, willing Edward not to wake up. She froze as he wiggled his nose in response to the slight breeze. _Damn_, she thought to herself. _No way is there enough time to move back to where I was sleeping._

Edward's green eyes fluttered open, unfocused. A long arm appeared from underneath the blanket and stretched over his head. Bella gaped. Edward wasn't wearing a shirt. The ripple of the muscles across his chest as he reached to scratch his head caused Bella's heart to stop. The little angel on one shoulder screamed at her to close her eyes and feign sleep, while the little devil on the other kept her eyes glued to the glorious sight of a just waking-up Edward.

Edward cleared his throat. Bella realized he was staring at her now. She struggled for words. "Um. Hi." Her face was less than a foot away from his; she'd been caught. _There is no way I can explain this_.

She found that she couldn't look away from him, couldn't do anything but stay where she was, immobile, staring. His striking eyes bore into hers with an intensity she couldn't quite deny. _Perhaps I was wrong about him not reciprocating my feelings,_ she hoped. _I've been known to be wrong about a lot of things._

She watched as his eyes darted away for a second, toward her lips. Bella stopped breathing. _Is he thinking what I think he's thinking? Oh god, I'm so glad I checked for morning breath earlier!_

Edward's eyes suddenly moved closer. His mouth brushed against her lips, so softly Bella thought she might have imagined it. Her eyes closed of their own volition and she forced herself to breathe again; her body felt like it was melting into the sheets. She opened her eyes and found Edward watching her, uncertainly flickering across his statuesque features. _Damn he's good looking_, Bella thought, immediately before wrapping an arm around the back of his head and pulling his face to hers.

The grogginess of the morning was wearing off, but Bella found herself not caring if what she was doing was foolish. She savored the taste of his mouth on hers, the warmth of his hand now gripping her back passed through the thin cotton of the t-shirt with ease. She damned the comforter smushed between their bodies; she wanted to be as close as possible to Edward, she wanted to feel his skin against hers. A low growl escaped from Edward's throat as his hand traveled lower, heading for the bottom of Bella's borrowed t-shirt.

The sound of giggling coming from the kitchen broke the spell.

Bella groaned. She did not want to leave this bed. Ever. How long was it that a person could survive without food? A week? She'd have to shower at some point. Thinking about Edward showering too, possibly even at the same time, caused her to blush. _So maybe leaving the bed wouldn't be so bad …_

Edward pulled away from the tangled mass of bodies and bed clothes. "Sounds like Alice and Jasper are awake."

Bella rolled onto her back in a huff. _And things were just getting good._ She knew that, as a responsible adult, she should figure out what was going on between Edward and her before going any further, but the tingling sensation running across her body while Edward was kissing her made her mind turn to jelly. The only thoughts running through her mind during their two kisses so far had been "Me. Want. More."

"What are you thinking?" Edward spoke, nervously, from his position lying next to her. Bella turned toward him, her mouth in a pout.

"I'm thinking that I hate that Alice and Jasper have suddenly become morning people."

Edward ran a hand through his hair as he reached for his glasses on the nightstand. As he sat up, Bella stared at his back. She ran a finger down the indent of his spine, watching as he stopped in mid-reach and shivered. Edward turned around, the hunger in his eyes now completely obvious. A clump of hair had become stuck to his forehead in a curl. "Hello Kal-El," Bella murmured, before pushing herself into a sitting position, grabbing his face in her hands and planting her lips on his.

A knock interrupted them once again. Edward, pulling his face from Bella's, glared at the door.

Jasper called out from the other side. "Yo, guys, I'm going to pick up some breakfast. You want anything?"

Bella had never had anything but love for either Alice or Jasper, but she _really_ didn't like them at that moment. Her stomach gave her away however, and let out a growl.

Edward's mouth pulled up, crookedly, into a grin. He pushed a hand through his hair and responded to Jasper's query. "Sure, be out in a second. I'll go with you."

Bella's face fell into a frown. Edward leaned down and kissed her on the tip of the nose, gently, before pushing back the blanket he was still half-under and grabbing his glasses from the nightstand. He walked over to his dresser and pulled out a blue t-shirt, brown sweater and a pair of jeans. Bella watched with a mix of disappointment and excitement as he pulled the t-shirt, followed by the sweater, over the taught muscles of his back. He turned, smiling awkwardly and rubbing the back oh his neck. He motioned to a chair, strewn with clothes, not quite looking Bella in the eye. "Your clothes are where _you_ left them." Bella heard the emphasis on you; even as asleep as she was last night, she was positive she wouldn't have changed in front of Edward. _Not just yet._

Edward shuffled toward the door, stopping when his hand hit the knob. "I'll let you get changed. Is there, um, anything particular you'd like to eat?"

Bella flopped back onto Edward's pillows. Clark Kent was back. "Jazz?" she called out. Edward opened the door, letting the blond pop his head into the room. Jasper was having a very difficult time keeping the giant grin from his face, and Bella knew Alice was probably pacing the living room, ready to pounce. "Where are you guys going?"

"Tully's." Jasper was still grinning.

Bella wanted to punch him. She turned to Edward. "A caramel latte and something in the pastry family, preferably with fruit in it. Please."

Edward gave her a fleeting look as he backed out the door, shutting it behind him. Reluctantly, Bella got out of bed and wandered to the chair. She pulled her jeans from their place at the bottom of the heap and put them on. She reached for the t-shirt she'd been wearing last night, but stopped. She pulled the neck of Edward's University of Washington t-shirt up to her nose and breathed in, deeply. Smiling, she thought, _he's not getting this back_. She pulled her black track jacket over her arms and grabbed the rest of the things from the chair.

Bella entered the kitchen as Jasper and Edward were heading out the door. Edward shot her a nervous smile, ducking his head as he ran his fingers through his messier-than-normal hair. He followed Jasper out the door.

Not a second passed before grey eyes were inches from her face. "Details."

Alice grabbed both of Bella's hands and led her to the couch, forcing her into a sitting position. "Now."

The smaller girl crossed her legs underneath her as she settled onto the couch. "We have at least 20 minutes before the guys get back."

Bella laughed. She found herself thinking that as much as she wanted Edward to have stayed, Alice would have probably exploded by the time the two of them were alone later in the afternoon.

Sighing, Bella told Alice all about the kissing. By the time she was done explaining how Edward made her feel like Zan, the Wonder Twin who often turned into a puddle of water, Alice was bouncing so much she nearly fell off the couch.

"I LOVE this. LOVE, love, love. Almost as much as a day at the mall. No, MORE than a day at the mall."

Bella grinned. Alice's moods were infectious. Even if she hadn't already been deliriously happy from the lingering taste of Edward's mouth. "There's more to your happiness than just Edward and I sharing a kiss, me thinks, Miss Brandon."

Alice nearly jumped into her lap. "I'm in love. Deep, hurtin' love. Epic romance love."

"With who?"

"BEL-LA!"

Bella laughed. "OK, OK. I know who. What happened with you two behind closed doors?"

Alice played shy, but the sparkle in her eyes and the glow emanating from her pale skin gave her away. "Oh nothing. We fell asleep."

"After a little somthin'-somthin', no?"

Alice playfully slapped Bella on the shoulder. "Gross Bella. I do not do things like that. Especially after just having met someone."

"Fine, but there totally was some serious making-out."

Alice dropped all pretense, giggling. "Oh, you know it!" She went into detail about how soft Jasper's lips were, how all that guitar playing made his fingers extremely nimble. Bella didn't quite want to know these things about one of her best friends, but she knew better than to try and stop Alice once she got started.

The jiggle of the front door handle brought the girls to their feet. They headed to the kitchen to meet up with breakfast. The smell of coffee made Bella salivate, and the thought of seeing Edward again only made it worse. She swallowed, suddenly nervous. What if Edward had grown to regret this morning, in the 20 minutes they were apart? What if he was hoping that she'd left the apartment before they returned?

Her paranoid thoughts preoccupying her mind caused Bella to just barely miss Edward's outstretched hand. He smiled at her, shyly, as she took the paper cup he was holding and sipped. "Mmm," she said, staring him in the eyes. She hoped her double entendre was obvious. He ran a hand through his hair as he turned for the bar on which sat a giant bag.

"He couldn't just pick one." Jasper was standing next to Alice, who'd perched on a bar stool. He slung an arm around her shoulders and she looked up at him, beaming. "He practically bought one of everything."

"I don't like making decisions for people I don't really know." Edward bit his lower lip.

"Yet." Alice and Jasper said in unison, breaking out into laughter afterward.

Bella walked over to Edward's side, peering into the bag. "They all look delicious." She grabbed the bag and headed for the dining table. "What are you guys eating?"

Jasper groaned. "Bella's not afraid of food," Alice said with a smile.

Bella sat in the chair she'd been sitting in last night. A buzzing vibration made her reach for her purse, hanging on the arm. She pulled out her cell phone and looked at the small window on the front. _A text._ She flipped it open. _And a missed call? _Bella entered her phone's history, only to find that she'd missed ten phone calls, all from James. She started to worry, had something happened to Jacob? Seeing that he hadn't left a message, any of the times he'd called, she next checked her inbox. _Six texts? _James had left all but one. She opened the first to find:

_Thank you for coming to the hospital. It was a pleasant afternoon, even under the circumstances. I always love to see you._

James was ever-formal, even via text message. Bella moved on to the next.

_What are you doing this evening? Perhaps we can make plans?_

And the next.

_Bella, where are you? Why are you not responding to me?_

The last two got even worse.

_I just went by your apartment. Neither you nor Alice was home._

_I've called Emmett. _

The last text was from Emmett. _If anyone else but James had called me about u being missing, I would have worried. But the dude's more than a little strange. Text me when you get this. If I don't hear from u by 11 tomorrow, know that I _will_ start a search._

Bella grimaced. At first James was an intriguing prospect; there was a fleeting time in which it was possible that he could be something more than a friend. But his actions were beginning to border on obsessive, and even if Edward hadn't been in the picture, Bella knew that she'd soon have to figure out some way of evading his grasp. She was also more than a little annoyed that James had dragged Emmett into this; her brother was over-protective enough as it was.

"What's wrong?" Alice peered at Bella over her cup. She, Jasper and Edward had followed Bella to the table. "One sec," Bella replied. She checked the time. _8:46._ She sent a text to Emmett.

_I'm fine. Fell asleep at a friend's. No one is missing. No need to send out the dogs. Love you.  
_

"James was worried that I wasn't responding to his messages." Bella looked at Alice, then glanced at Edward. Both of their faces showed dislike, although Edward certainly kept his more in check. "He called Em."

Jasper whistled, leaning his chair back from the table on two legs. "James called your brother, the police officer, because he couldn't get a hold of you for a night?" He faked a cough. "Ahem, stalker, ahem."

Bella felt the ease of the morning, the good feelings she'd been swimming in start to fade. _No_, she thought. _I will not let anything ruin this morning._

"Yeah, well, he's harmless." Even as she spoke the words, Bella was unsure of their truth. She shrugged off the thoughts, replacing them instead with memories of this morning in Edward's bed, and dove into the pastry bag still waiting in front of her. "Dibs on the strawberry and cream cheese danish."

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**A/N: I have to admit, writing this chapter made my fangirl heart squee multiple times. You know what else makes my heart squee? Reviews. ;)**

**Question: Do you appreciate when your reviews are responded to? I know that I like to get personal responses, but I'm not sure if everyone does. I like to make sure you all know how much I appreciate and adore the responses you give, but if you don't really care for a reply on my part, I'll leave you be. :)**

**Oh, and, the song in the beginning of the chapter is "Early April Morning" by Brendan James. If you haven't listened to his CD, _The Day is Brave_, you need to. Right. Now. I've been toying with the idea of putting together a playlist/fanmix for the entire story when it's done, would you all be interested in seeing something like that?  
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	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

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**_Dearest Bella,_

_I do not fault you for not responding to the calls and text messages I left on your phone last night. It appears you were busy, and I daresay a bit overwhelmed with the news of the accident. I do not want to seem impatient, so I will not call or text message you again. There are certain issues that I feel I must discuss with you, however, so I am using the only form of communication left to me, the written word. I hope you will find the time to respond to this letter, preferably in person._

_I apologize for involving your brother in my quest to reach you last night. I received a phone call from him earlier today, alerting me to the fact that you are fine, that you stayed the night at a friend's house. I was glad to hear that you are not hurt, or lost somewhere. I do know how clumsy you can be. I am disappointed, however, to have received the news from him, and not you. _

_For future reference, may I know the name of the friend's house you were staying at? I spoke with Angela and she did not know where you were. Alice's phone was apparently turned off. And Jacob is still in the hospital. Had I had the contact information of where you were staying, we could have avoided involving Emmett and the authorities._

_You mean so much to me, you must know this. I would have thought that I made it obvious. From the moment I laid eyes on you in the bar, so many months ago, you have been my world. You incite a passion that smolders in me, burns my throat with an unquenchable thirst. I would follow you to the ends of the earth, if I had to. I have tried not to push my feelings upon you, but I write this in the hope that your dormant feelings will awaken, and we can become more than just friends. Our passion will be the substance of legend; epic poems that celebrate our love will be passed down among generations until the earth is swallowed by the sun. We will put the most celebrated romantics to shame._

_Before I go, I would let you know that Jacob is doing well. He will be returning to the reservation with Billy tomorrow, where he will stay for a week while recovering fully. I will be in our apartment, when I am not at work, and I hope that you will stop by to discuss what I have laid out above._

_Yours, in every sense of the word,_

_James_

_

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_**A/N: ;)**_  
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	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: I didn't respond directly to anyone's review from last chapter, because I wanted to leave it hanging until this chapter—I'm a mean one, yes I am—but thank you, thank you, thank you. I don't know if it was the shock of opening the new chapter to find nothing by Creepy James's letter that did it, but more than 60 reviews? I owe each and every one of you a hug. Since I can't do it in person, *hug!***

**And as a mass response, yes, James is a creep. Yes, he needs to back the F off, and no, I am not a stalker nor have I ever received a letter like this. I guess I can just channel "creepster" pretty dang well. I don't know what that says about me, exactly … ;)**

**I am so very glad that you all don't hate me for only updating with the letter. It was meant to add impact; most of you got that. Yay! I am updating this soon after posting it because I didn't want to leave you hanging _too _long. (But don't get used to it, haha.)**

**And, just to clarify, James and Bella do not share an apartment. When James mentions "our apartment" in the last line of his letter, he's talking about the apartment he shares with Jacob. Which he will be **_**all alone in**_** if Bella were to go over (since Jacob's at the Rez, recuperating). Yikes.**

**Read on chickadees—**

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"I forgot to mention this earlier, but I like your shirt." Edward watched as Bella walked toward the door to her apartment.

She turned to him. "Oh this old thing?" Bella tugged at the hem of the grey t-shirt she was wearing, the same one she'd woken up in earlier that morning. The same one that wasn't hers. Edward had to admit, she definitely did it more justice than he ever could.

Bella reached the door and pulled a folded sheet of paper from the crack. Edward watched as she opened it and began to read. Her face dropped, immediately, then changed into something he hadn't yet seen cross her beautiful features. Anger, perhaps? Disgust? A combination of the two? He found himself wondering who it was from, and what was written on the paper that would make her face distort so.

He shuffled from side to side as she read, unsure of whether he should go or stay. Over breakfast, Bella had suggested the two of them hang out. It was obvious that Jasper and Alice would enjoy some alone time as well, so Edward had offered to drive Bella home. While the other three finished off the bag of pastries, Edward had taken a cold shower, trying not to think about what had happened in his bed that morning.

_Bella's lips against my lips, Bella's body against my body …_

Edward snapped out of his reverie when he realized Bella was done reading. She let out a "humph" of air and indignation, unlocked the door and stomped into the apartment. Edward followed close behind.

"Uh, Bella?" Edward ran a hand through his still damp hair. "You OK?"

"Fine, Edward." Bella threw her purse onto the couch and turned to him. Annoyance played across her features. "Some people just don't get it." She walked toward him, stopping just short of touching his body with hers. Her eyes softened as she reached up and curled her lithe fingers around a lock of hair that was haphazardly dangling across Edward's forehead. He was a bit taken aback. _Will I ever get used to these drastic shifts in moods?_ Edward thought to himself. She smoothed the curl back, into the rest of his hair, and sighed. Her caress made Edward's heart leap into his throat. _Oh who cares_, he laughed to himself. Her breath wafted across Edward's face. It smelled of breakfast. Edward smiled.

Bella threw a hand over her mouth. "Oh, geeze," she mumbled from behind her palm. "Gross. Coffee breath."

Edward reached up, pulling Bella's hand away from her glorious lips. He leaned in and kissed her, softly. "You are delicious."

Bella giggled.

_Delicious? _Edward mentally kicked himself. _Idiot._

"My hair looks like a bit like a bird's nest." Bella reached up and tried to untangle the rubber band from the knot near her neck. "Minus the feathers … and the squawking babies. And, you know. Worm guts."

Edward laughed. His hand brushed across her collarbone while he reached for the tangle. He felt Bella shiver under his touch as he grabbed her shoulder and turned her, so her back was to him. He gently tugged at the band in her hair until it came loose; he ran his fingers through her auburn waves before pulling her hair to one side and placing another gentle kiss on the side of her neck. She shivered again. Edward smiled.

Part of Edward's brain was perplexed. Where was this audacity, this confidence, coming from? Edward knew, after this morning, that Bella returned at least some of the feelings he himself felt growing stronger with each passing moment. He could feel it in her kisses, the way she pulled his face so tightly to hers. At times, there was an urgency in her movements. _But we have all the time in the world_, he thought with a grin.

Bella turned to face him. "What's so funny?" She poked him in the chest. Edward fell back, feigning hurt. He leaned against the wall.

"Ooh, ouch. Careful now. You're stronger than you look."

Bella closed the gap between them, and poked him in the chest again. "I know your secret, Edward."

Edward felt his throat seize. He was genuinely confused. Did she know the strength of his feelings? That was the only secret he was keeping from her at the moment. That and an irrational urge to punch James in the face. Bella had mentioned his numerous attempts at contact over breakfast this morning. He felt his brows knit together.

"Uh …" Edward pushed his glasses up his nose, trying not to give away the nervousness he was feeling.

"Yes." Bella inched closer. Their bodies were so near. Edward couldn't help but curse the clothes in between them, much like he had cursed the blanket this morning in bed. Shifting uncomfortably, he tried to think of other things.

Bella continued to poke. "You are not of this world. You came here in a spaceship when you were a tiny baby, sent by your real parents, who were to save you from dying in their sun's supernova. You were raised by a childless couple, and you only started to discover the powers our yellow sun causes you to have when you were a teenager."

Edward's brain let out a sigh. The fact that Bella knew so much about a comic character, particularly Superman, his favorite of the Justice League, was extremely sexy. "You've figured me out." He grabbed her finger, tight enough that she couldn't pull away. "Are you afraid?"

Bella responded by pushing him flat against the wall. She pressed herself against him, smashing her lips to his. She slid her tongue into Edward's mouth. He surprised himself by responding with a growl, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and twisting his hands in her already messy waves.

After a few moments, Bella pulled away. Edward held back a whine. "I've really got to go clean up a little," she murmured into his lips.

Edward watched as she headed down the hallway; as she entered her bedroom, Bella looked back over her shoulder and winked. "Make yourself comfortable Kal-El." She disappeared into the room.

Edward groaned. _Sitting out here, with nothing to do, while Bella is in the shower …_ There was no way he'd be comfortable.

He wandered toward the couch, flopping onto the seat next to Bella's purse and throwing an arm over his face. A glimpse of white caught his eye. _The letter. _Edward knew he had no right, but curiosity got the better of him. He'd ask Bella's forgiveness later, if necessary. He wanted to know what could make this beautiful, normally happy girl so upset.

He turned the sheet of paper so it was facing him.

_Dearest Bella, _he read.

Halfway through, Edward sat up and moved to the edge of the couch. His blood was boiling. He grit his teeth, and barely stopped himself from crushing the letter in his clenched fist.

_Yours, in every sense of the word,_

_James._

Edward knew that James had feelings for Bella. Edward also knew that James was not a good guy. He'd known both things from the second they'd met, yesterday, in the hospital. Something had to be done.

Bella was not James' to have. Edward was certain of that. Even if it had been just a few days, he knew that there were know other fish in the sea for him. Bella was a siren; Edward had gladly followed her song and crashed upon the rocks. He'd live the rest of his days happily stranded on her island, because she would be there with him.

Edward made up his mind. He heard the water shut off and listened as Bella opened and closed drawers in her bedroom. He stood, letter in hand, and faced the hallway.

Bella came out of her room with a smile on her face, rubbing her wet hair with a damp towel. She had put on a different pair of pants, but was still wearing the UW t-shirt. Her smiled faded quickly, however, when she saw Edward and the letter he held.

"Edward, I—"

Edward raised his hand to stop her and moved a few steps down the hall. "Bella, let me say something, before I lose my nerve. I know I should not have read this letter. I know that I have no place telling you what to do, or how to react. I can tell you how this letter makes me feel, however. It makes me angry. It makes me angry in a way I have never been angry before."

"Edward."

Edward moved closer.

"James is a scary guy. He is not a guy with an innocent crush. You are a possession to him. A conquest." Edward waved the letter in the air. "This is not a letter you should take lightly. This is a letter that would make your brother issue a restraining order. I don't think you return the feelings James has for you. At least, I hope not. If you do, what I am about to say is completely inappropriate."

"Edw—"

Edward placed a finger on Bella's lips, to stop her from speaking. With his other hand, he took a hold of her chin, looking her directly in the eyes. The melting chocolate orbs had the same effect on him they always did; he could feel his knees weaken and his head began to swim. He nearly lost his reserve.

Edward took a deep breath. "Bella. I love you." He both heard and watched her gasp, but continued on before she could shoot him down. "I have loved you from the moment I set eyes on you in the restaurant. I think I have always loved you. When you came into my life, I felt whole. I had never realized I wasn't. But you are here, now," he pointed to his chest, to his heart. "And I don't think I will ever quite be able to let you go."

He stepped back, to gauge her reaction. Bella stared at him for a moment, uncertainty playing across her features. With every passing second that she studied him, Edward became more and more sure that his proclamation of love had been the absolute worst thing to say at that moment. When he could stand it no longer, he turned to go, his heart in his stomach.

His hand was on the doorknob when Bella caught his other arm. Edward turned to face her, reluctantly. He stared at her feet for a second before nearly choking. Lying in a pile on the floor behind her was the towel she'd been holding mere moments before, along with her pants. Edward's eyes traveled upward. Bella was standing in front of him, her eyes smoldering, looking much like she had earlier that morning in his bed, but somehow sexier. _Is that even possible?_ Edward felt like his eyes were bugging out of his head. Bella stepped toward him, reaching behind him to turn the lock on the door.

"No one's going to interrupt us this time, Edward."

She turned and sauntered through the living room. Edward followed after her like a lost puppy, mesmerized by the sway of her hips and the matching movement of her hair.

Bella reached the door to her bedroom and turned. She waited until Edward caught up, and then closed the door behind them, turning the lock on this one too. Edward ran a hand through his hair.

Bella groaned. "Gah. You don't know what that does to me, do you."

Edward pushed his glasses up his nose. "What … what does?" Edward could barely get the words out. No woman had ever been so … forthcoming with their wants as Bella. In fact, had it been anyone other than Bella, Edward would have been turned off by her audacity and left as fast as he could. He wasn't inexperienced, but he was choosy.

With Bella, however, it was a different story. He wanted to turn the tables, throw himself at her. Which, in a way, he'd already done. Edward realized as much as it seemed like Bella was returning his professed feelings, she hadn't actually come out and said it. It was like a cold glass of water splashed on his brain. Edward took a deep breath.

"The hair thing. The glasses thing. The looking at me, the touching me thing. Everything about you draws me in Edward." Bella sat back on the edge of her bed. The t-shirt rode up until Edward could see the tiniest sliver of what looked to be a dark blue boyshort. _Stay strong,_ Edward. _You have a right to know._

Edward walked forward, placing himself between Bella's legs. She wrapped them around his waist and went to pull his face toward hers, when he stopped her.

"Bella …"

She sat back with a pout. But she didn't move her legs.

"Bella. This may sound stupid, but I need to know. I need to know that you feel the same way I do. I need to know that this is going to lead to something more, because I can't go through with this expecting something and end up with my heart broken." The devil on Edward's shoulder was screaming at him to stop. _SHUT UP YOU IDIOT. YOU ARE RUINING EVERYTHING. _The angel was getting antsy as well.

Bella looked up at him. Uncrossing her legs, she stood. Both Edward's devil and angel groaned. She reached up and removed his glasses. Folding them gently, she put them down on the nightstand. She then reached for the bottom of his sweater and pulled it toward his head. She stopped when she could see the t-shirt underneath. She paused, and a laugh escaped her lips. As she pulled the sweater from his face, Edward could see the fire in her eyes sparkling. He looked down, unsure of what could have caused her to laugh. A red and yellow crest in the shape of an S was emblazoned his chest. He gaped, then joined in Bella's laughter. Bella's presence in his room that morning had obviously taken a toll on his subconscious, because he didn't remember putting on that shirt and certainly hadn't done it on purpose.

"Oh Edward. My Clark Kent. My Superman. I love you more than I could love anyone, ever."

Edward felt all the worry, all the stress slide right off his back. He laughed as he picked Bella up and gently tossed her back on the bed. The world, and dealing with James, could wait.

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**A/N: Sorry to pull a SM here, but I'm just not cut out for writing lemons. I know all of you have really amazing imaginations, so use them, if you really want. ;)**

**So who paid attention to the color of the shirt Edward put on under his sweater in Chapter 11? I'm so sneaky!**

**A quick and well-deserved thank you (!!! times infinity) to my wonderful beta and best friend AHelm, who helps me through my brain farts. Which happen. A lot.**

**And no worries, James will be dealt with. Ed and Bells are just a bit *ahem* busy at the moment. You forgive them, yes?  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: The _Twilight _characters belong solely to Stephenie Meyer; I'm just taking them out to play.**

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you. You all are the best readers (and reviewers) a girl could ask for. It's quite possible that by the next time I post, I will have over 500 reviews. *jaw drops to the floor* Thank you also for showing love to my characters, my writing, and being OK with my inability to write sexy-fun-times. ;) Love.**

**Now, before I get any complaints, this is not the chapter in which James gets what's coming to him. IT WILL BE SOON, I PROMISE. I just keep writing, and the story just isn't there yet.**

**Onto the morning after ...  
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**Bella rolled over in bed with a contended sigh. Last night had been perfect. The quick escalation of her relationship with Edward was a bit surprising, but she figured that when it's right, it's right. And last night was definitely right.

She reached for Edward, only to find empty space. She sat up with a pout, searching the room for any sign of her … _What _do_ I call him?_ She made a mental note to bring up the status of their relationship later. Or at least attempt to. If her tongue didn't get tied at the mere thought of speaking to Edward about love before, it certainly did now.

_Love._

When she'd seen Edward standing in the hallway, holding James' letter, Bella had braced herself for the inevitable rush out the door. No one wants to get involved with someone who has a bit of a stalker. Bella scowled. With his behavior in the hospital, the multiple attempts at contact, the call to her brother … and now this nutty letter, she'd finally come to terms with the fact that James was no longer exactly safe to be around. She had no reason to think he'd ever hurt her, but she was going to need to figure a way to get him out of her life, and soon. She pondered asking Edward if he'd ever taken any martial arts and giggled to herself.

_Wait. Edward. Where is he?_

Bella bit her lip. What if he'd decided last night was a mistake? What if he'd woken up this morning, taken a good look at Sleeping Bella—mouth open, hair a mess, wearing nothing but an increasingly dirty t-shirt, smelling of him—and run out of the apartment, screaming? Silently, of course, because she would have heard him had he been yelling. She sighed, then pulled back the covers.

A clunk came from the kitchen. Bella realized there were also smells coming from that direction. Delicious, bacony smells. She jumped out of bed and did a little hop-skip routine as she scrambled for her underwear, nearly knocking a lamp off the bedside table in the process. She blushed. Not bothering with pants, she opened the door and headed down the hall. Either Edward was making her breakfast, or James had broken in. She laughed at the creepiness of the second option coldly; she wasn't sure she could put it past him, not after the way he'd been acting.

She turned the corner and saw him, standing there in all his shirtless glory. _Definitely not James. _Bella smiled. He hadn't noticed her entrance. Edward was standing in front of the stove, his back toward the hallway. Bella watched as the muscles in his back moved in response to the movement of his arm, scrambling eggs in a pan. A plate of bacon was sitting on the bar, draining on a paper towel. She could smell something else, hot and doughy. She inched forward, making her way stealthily into the kitchen. She grinned when she saw the waffle iron, and the giant stack of waffles sitting on a plate next to it. Her stomach growled, giving her presence away.

Edward turned, spatula in hand.

"Dang. It." Bella playfully scowled. "I was trying to sneak up on you."

Edward moved toward her, wrapping an arm around her waist and drawing her into an embrace. "I heard you coming from the bedroom, Bella dear." He tapped his temple with the spatula, transferring a bit of egg to his hair. Bella giggled as he continued. "Super hearing and all."

Bella stood on her tiptoes to lick the egg from his face. Edward gulped, but tightened his grip on her body, pulling her even closer.

She leaned into him, rubbing a bare leg against his jeans. She could feel him shiver in response. Bella was suddenly overjoyed at having the weekend off from the library; there were plenty of things she wanted to do with Edward, and very few of them involved leaving the apartment at any point in the near future.

Bella took the spatula out of Edward's hand and placed it on the counter. She reached up and cupped his face, losing herself in the passion of his shining green eyes. She slowly moved her mouth toward his, trailing her hands from his face into his hair. She gripped the strands and tugged, slightly.

Edward's growl surprised her. She gasped when he proceeded to pick her up off the floor and set her down on the counter, pushing his body between her legs and deepening the kiss. His sweet tongue danced with hers; his hands wound a circuit from the small of her back to her hair, and Bella felt herself melting. She wrapped her legs behind his back and crossed them at the ankles.

The smell of too-hot eggs wafted into their nostrils. Edward pulled back from the kiss and reached around to the stove, moving the frying pan onto a cold burner faster than seemed humanly possible. Bella hadn't released her legs, and she watched as he twisted, memorizing every minute movement of every perfect muscle. Her entire being ached for him. Body and soul, Bella realized, she was his.

Her stomach growled again, giving her away for the second time that morning.

Edward placed his hands on the counter next to her, then took a deep breath. He smiled her favorite crooked grin and said, "I guess we _should_ eat before it gets cold."

Bella humphed. _What did they make microwaves for anyway, if not to warm up breakfast after a morning of fun?_ She was pretty hungry, however. And everything smelled so delicious.

Edward reached toward a waffle and pulled off a bite. Bella opened her mouth in response, licking her lips after his fingers had placed the waffle inside. Edward's eyes narrowed. Bella enjoyed being a tease. Then she started to chew.

"Oh my god, Edward." Her eyes opened wide, she stared at the man standing before her. The waffle in her mouth had to be one of the best things she'd ever tasted. _Apart from you._ Bella blushed at the errant dirty thought. _Does he have to be good at everything?_ Bella's mind suddenly switched gears, and she smiled. My_ man is good at everything._

Edward grabbed the spatula from the counter and backed away from Bella, turning to the stove and poking at the eggs. "They're not quite dead," he said, with laughter in his voice.

Bella hopped off the counter and went to stand next to him, opening a cupboard and reaching for the plates. She heard a low, appreciative murmur from beside her and she turned her head. Edward was staring at the bottom of the t-shirt Bella was wearing—his t-shirt—with a gleam in his eye. The hem had ridden up her legs as she raised her arm, the bottom of her boyshorts could be seen peeking out the bottom. Edward ran a finger against the place they met her skin and Bella shivered. He looked at her, hunger for more than eggs apparent on his face. "You look so amazing in that shirt."

Bella couldn't help but laugh. "I must smell pretty amazing too, considering I've been wearing this shirt for more than 24 hours now."

Edward laughed. "I couldn't care less Bella. Everything about you is amazing to me." He took the plates from her hands and put them on the counter. He took her hands in his and raised them to his mouth, kissing her fingers as he spoke.

"I," _kiss_. "Love," _kiss_. "My," _kiss_. "Beautiful," _kiss_. "Girlfriend," _kiss_.

Bella's jaw dropped just a little. On top of being perfect, Edward could read minds too?

Edward noticed the expression on Bella's face, and his crooked grin turned slightly downward. "I'm, uh, sorry." He dropped her hands and ran one of his own through his hair while the other pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I just, uh, figured. You know. Since last night happened and all."

Bella threw her arms around Edward's neck, hugging him with all her might. "I love you, Edward." She felt like her smile was going to crack her face in two, it was so large.

Edward mumbled from behind Bella's hair. "So you're OK with being my girlfriend?"

"Of course I am, stupid." Bella playfully swatted at Edward's bare chest. "Only an idiot wouldn't be OK with being Superman's girlfriend."

Edward grinned. "OK, seriously? What is the deal with this Superman thing?" He turned, and began plating eggs. He set the plates down on the counter next to the bacon and turned to her. "You have to explain this to me."

Bella grabbed two forks from the drawer and handed one to … _her boyfriend_. The thought was met with a smile. "It's silly, really," she began, but was interrupted by a loud knock on the front door.

She looked at Edward and shrugged. Grabbing a piece of bacon, she walked toward the door. In response to a still grumbling stomach, she shoved the entire piece in her mouth and started to chew as she unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door.

Edward started to speak. "Uh, Bella, you're kind of underdressed …" But he was too late.

Bella swung the door open and found herself face-to-face with a very large chest. She looked up—feeling much like she'd drunk some of Alice in Wonderland's DRINK ME shrinking potion—into the dark eyes of Jacob Black.

"JACOB!" Bella squealed and threw herself into the open arms of her "little brother."

"Easy Bells." Jacob groaned and gingerly pulled Bella off him. "Broken ribs, remember?"

"Oh Jake, I'm sorry. I forgot." Bella smiled at him. "You're usually not this fragile." She backed up, toward the kitchen, holding the door open.

Jacob's eyes grew wide as he took in Bella's appearance. Bella was confused at first, but then she looked down. She still had no pants on.

"Oh. Gosh. Jacob, I …" Bella blushed. She felt a figure come up behind her, and a pair of sweatpants soon dangled in front of her face. She turned, thankful that _someone_ had been thinking. Placing a kiss on Edward's cheek, she ran around the corner into the hallway and pulled on the pants.

She walked back out into the kitchen and found Jacob stuffing his face with a waffle, another one already in hand. He was mumbling through the food.

"These waffles are amazing, man. Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

Edward was reaching into the fridge, pulling out the milk. "My mom. She's an amazing cook. She's always made everything from scratch." He pulled a glass out from a cupboard, filled it with milk, and handed it to Jacob. "I guess I picked up a few tricks." Bella watched in amazement. Edward was acting a bit like he owned the place, but in no way did it bother her. In fact, she liked it. _A lot. _And he seemed to be getting along with Jacob.

Jacob perched on a bar stool, alternating bites of waffle and gulps of milk. He noticed Bella watching, and spoke to her, "Lookin' a little more … composed there Bells."

Bella walked over to join Edward behind the sink. She pointed at each man in turn. "Edward, Jacob. Jacob, Edward."

Edward put an arm around her shoulders. Bella noticed that he'd somehow found the time to throw on his Superman t-shirt and she grinned, her mind involuntarily hearkening back to the events of last night … and this morning. She got so lost in thought that the fact that Jacob was talking to her barely registered.

Two large fingers snapped in front of her face. "Earth to Bella!" Jacob chuckled.

"Ah, sorry." Bella started to blush again, so she quickly changed the subject. "What are you doing here Jake? Not that I'm not glad to see you out of the hospital, but I thought you were going back to the Rez?"

"Dad took me home yesterday, after I got released. We came back to town to pick up a few more things from the apartment, but of course I forgot my keys. I wanted to grab the spare key you have so we don't have to go all the way back home. James is at work today, and I didn't want to bother him." Jacob was still talking with his mouth half full.

The mention of James' name made Bella cringe, but now was not the time to talk about his creepster ways with Jacob. "Of course, let me grab it." As she walked down the hall toward her bedroom, she heard Jacob exclaim over the bacon. "DUDE. This is so freaking good!" Bella laughed, grabbed the key from her desk and walked back to the guys.

"Your boyfriend has some freaking talent, Bells." Jacob was grinning from ear to ear, and looking a bit like a chipmunk with all the food shoved in his cheeks. Bella loved the way Jacob was so easily accepting of her relationship. She also realized he was the first person to find out. Alice was going to kill her.

"Jacob Black, really. Where are your manners?" Bella stood in front of him, hands on her hips and gave him a stern look. "I know Billy would be annoyed with this behavior," she joked.

"Oh crap, Dad!" Jacob jumped from the chair, snatching the key from Bella's hand. He stopped, a pained look crossing his face, and leaned against the counter.

"Jake—"

"Are you—"

Bella and Edward spoke at the same time. Jacob was breathing heavily. He waved a hand in front of him. "I'm fine." He looked up, his normally shining eyes a bit dulled by pain. "I just forget about these." He motioned toward his ribs and chuckled. "Dad's waiting for me in the car. This ridiculous food made me forget all about him. I gotta jet. Thanks for the grub Edward; we'll have to do it again sometime."

Edward wrapped a couple more waffles and a few pieces of bacon in a paper towel and handed it to Jacob on his way out the door. "For your Dad."

Jacob waved as he headed toward the parking lot. "If they make it to the truck!"

Edward leaned against the open door jamb and laughed; Bella reveled in the sound. She nuzzled into him, enjoying the ease of the morning. Edward pushed Bella slightly, back into the apartment. As he was closing the door, Bella heard Jacob yelling at someone in the lot. Bella peeked her head back out the door and saw a tiny, black-haired pixie skipping up the breezeway. She sighed.

_Guess it's time to start the day._

_

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_**A/N: I kind of have a soft spot for Jacob. He's not the bad guy in this story. And everyone deserves to have a little hero-worship/bromance in their life. ;)  
**

**Just to let you all know, ****there's only a few more chapters until the end. I just wanted to warn you now. I'm not sure how many, but I feel like the story is coming to it's inevitable stopping point. Of course, nerd love transcends time and space, so somewhere, in some universe, Bella and Edward (and Alice and Japser, and Rose and Emmett, and Carlisle and Esme, etc.) will continue on their happy path.**

**Thanks of course to AHelm. For everything. And a shout-out to hammondgirl, Little Miss Whitlock, suspenders and siromygod, just because. :)  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**A/N: Sorry guys. I've got loads of excuses that you don't need to hear. Please accept my sincere apologies for taking so long to update. I hope there are a few of you who have stuck around. :)**

**Read the bottom A/N for some news … I just don't want to keep you waiting any longer for the meat.**

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**_**EPOV**_

"Bel-la. You really need to change out of that shirt. What if Edward saw you in it? You probably smell gross," Alice trilled as she skipped down the hallway. "I just saw Jacob in the parking lot. What did he want?" Alice didn't stop as she entered the open doorway, her back turned toward the interior of the apartment. "He had a waffle. I want a waffle. He also had a shit-eating grin on his face." She stopped to poke Bella in the chest, who was standing against the open door, smiling at her roommate. "What does he know that I don't?"

Edward stood motionless, watching as Alice continued to back into the apartment. It was too late when he realized she had no idea he was standing there.

Alice turned as she entered the foyer … and ran smack into Edward's chest.

Edward spoke over Alice's startled squeal. "Oh, Alice, I'm sorry. I thought you saw me standing here."

Alice's face, mere millimeters from the Superman logo on Edward's t-shirt, grew pink. Without moving, she spoke. "Bella, dearest, how many times must I ask you to tell me when we have company?" Edward could feel Alice's warm breath against his chest; he laughed.

"I really had no chance to say anything, Alice, since you wouldn't stop talking about how badly I smell and waffles." Bella tilted her head in mock-thoughtfulness. "Interesting train of thought."

Alice giggled. Edward marveled at the tiny girl's perpetual good nature. She threw her arms around him and squeezed. "Morning Edward." She looked up at him, without releasing her arms, then peeked back at Bella. "I approve."

Alice released her arms and continued into the kitchen. "I also smell bacon."

Edward ran his fingers through his hair. _Alice approves? _He looked at Bella for some sort of clarification, but she was already following Alice into the rest of the apartment. He turned and meandered toward the two girls, running a hand through his hair.

"You approve of what?" Edward heard Bella ask as he rounded the corner. Alice was perched on a bar stool, swinging her legs back and forth. Bella was pulling a plate from the cupboard.

"You guys, of course." Alice reached over and snagged a piece of bacon. She munched through a smile. "I'm guessing Jacob realized what was going on, which is what his shit-eating grin was about. It was only a matter of time until one of you made it," Alice paused, curling her fingers into air quotes, "'official.'" She went back to munching on her bacon.

Edward smiled tentatively. "How did you know, Alice, when neither of _us_ really did until last night?"

Bella interjected before Alice could speak. "You'll learn not to question The Pixie, Edward." She winked and handed Alice a plate piled high with waffles. "So you're not mad, Al? That you weren't the first to," Bella paused, her fingers copying Alice's earlier gesture, "'officially' know?"

Alice shoved a forkful of waffle into her mouth and chewed before responding. "Nope," she said, "But you owe me. God I'm starving." She pointed her now empty fork at Edward. "You boys really need to go to the grocery store. Jasper had to go to work early today, so there wasn't time for a proper breakfast."

Edward looked at the clock on the stove. 10: 23 on Monday morning. Edward could hardly believe that he'd only met Bella at the beginning of the weekend. He'd never moved this fast in his life, with anything, particularly a relationship. He was a planner. He wrote outlines of outlines, notes and numerous rough drafts when doing work. He looked at maps, plugged directions into GPSs, researched routes and places before he went anywhere. Three days was hardly enough time to do the laundry properly; never in a million years would he have expected to fall so hard, so fast.

Edward looked at Bella as she leaned on the kitchen counter, trading playful verbal spars with Alice. He watched as she tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, watched as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink when Alice mentioned his absence at the apartment he shared with Jasper.

Edward laughed. Both girls turned and looked at him, quizzical looks on their faces. Edward ran a hand through his hair and smiled, turning his eyes away from both pairs staring at his face. There was no way he could explain where his mind had just gone at Alice's mention of last night. Not in this company.

Alice popped the last bit of the last waffle into her mouth and licked powdered sugar off her fingers. "Edward, my compliments to the chef." She jumped down off the stool and headed toward him. She put a hand on his chest and started pushing him toward the door. "Now, I am sorry to do this, but it's time for you to go home. We ladies have things to do before tonight."

"Wait, Alice, what …"

Bella moved to stand next to Edward. "Alice, what are you talking about? Edward doesn't have to leave."

Alice crossed her arms across her chest. Edward was amazed at the fire the tiny girl could conjure up. "Bella. There are things we need to discuss. There are things we need to prepare for. We cannot do this when Edward is here. Remember when I said you owed me? I was serious."

"What are we preparing for, Alice?"

"We're going out tonight. Dancing. Karaoke. The works. I'm in the mood for celebrating."

Edward mentally groaned. The last time he'd "gone dancing" he'd … ended up with a beautiful girl kissing him for no reason. Maybe "going dancing" wasn't such a bad thing.

Bella groaned out loud. "Alice …"

Alice smiled. "It'll be fun. We only have a few days until the semester starts. You don't have to work until Wednesday. Jasper gets off today at 5. Edward?" The tiny girl turned to face him, a pleading look in her eyes. "You're free tonight, right?"

The multitude of projects Edward was supposed to have taken care of over the weekend flashed through his mind. The papers that were due for the classes he took over the summer. The rent check that was due at the end of the week; he still had to get Jasper's share. He looked at the two girls, one nearly floating away with anticipation of his answer, the other biting her lip. If he was honest with himself, Edward was planning on spending as much time with Bella as he possibly could, for the rest of eternity, so he might as well go along with Alice's plan.

Edward took a deep breath and pushed his glasses up his nose, physically preparing himself for the flying frontal attack Alice considered a hug. "I am free, actually." Alice threw herself at him.

Bella blew a puff of breath out of a pout. "You didn't have to take my advice not to question her so literally."

After extricating himself from Alice, Edward reached for Bella's hand. "I have good memories of Alice-forced fun." He pulled his glasses from his face, leaned down and kissed Bella full on the mouth. Alice giggled in the background.

Edward pulled away after a moment. Bella's cheeks were flushed. Edward reached out and smoothed his thumb across one, continuing on a path toward her ear. He took a strand of hair between his fingers and twirled it. "Besides," he put his glasses back on. "There is a ton of stuff I should have been working on this weekend when I have been otherwise occupied." A flash of James' letter appeared in his mind, causing Edward to grimace.

Bella noticed his change in mood. "What is it Edward?"

Edward moved his lips into Bella's favorite crooked smile. "Nothing, love." He kissed her on the forehead before turning and heading into the living room to grab his things. He picked up the letter from where he'd dropped it the night before and shoved it into his bag before pulling the strap over his head.

He walked back toward the front door. Alice has disappeared down the hallway to her bedroom; strains of some popular dance song were wending their way from under her door.

Bella was cleaning the dishes from breakfast. Edward wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her away from the sink. He placed his lips on hers, gently at first. Bella threw her arms around Edward's neck and returned the kiss, passionately. They pulled apart, slightly, and Bella said, "I'm going to miss you."

"It won't be long before we're together again. Kryptonite couldn't keep me away." Edward smiled, and turned and headed to the door. He turned once, before heading out. "I love you."

Bella grinned. "And I love you."

Edward closed the door and headed toward the parking lot. The good mood he'd been in dimmed slightly as he considered the letter in his bag. He dug out his cell phone, dialing the UDub library.

"Jazz, it's me. Are you busy?"

***

Jasper hit the send button on his phone and looked up at Edward, who was standing on the other side of the Reference desk. "It's done."

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

"I don't really like going behind Bella's back, but I think, in this case, it's necessary."

Edward ran a hand through his hair. He knew that it wasn't very adult of him to make a decision like this without Bella's input, but just thinking about James and the letter made him see red. "I know. I don't like it either. But I don't want to meet him in some back alley. The dude's scary. I just want to talk to him, anyway. I'd rather do it in public."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It's a good thing Jacob's out for the count. Now that dude. He's a giant." Jasper flexed his arms. "It's a good thing I know Alice likes them on the skinnier side."

Edward laughed. 'I'm pretty sure you have nothing to worry about."

Jasper's phone played the opening lines of "You Are the Best Thing." Edward laughed again, loudly. Knowing Jasper had it as bad as he did made falling in love over a weekend not seem as crazy as it seemed from the outside. Edward opened a book sitting on the counter and began flipping through the pages. It was a slim volume on the legends of the local Quileute Native American tribe. He'd opened it to some story about "The Cold Ones" and had started skimming when he heard Jasper finish his conversation with Alice.

"She's pissed." Jasper put his phone in his pocket.

"Alice?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not surprised."

"Bella just told her about the letter. I'm pretty sure Alice has known something weird was going on with James for a while, though. That girl's got a sixth sense."

Edward thought about this morning, when Alice had just _known_ about the new relationship. He shook his head. "You're right. She's going to invite him, though?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure she's going to be out for blood. I hope you see him before Al does."

Edward felt a vibrating coming from his bag. Opening the top flap, he dug around until he found his phone and pulled it out. He had a new text, from Bella.

_Do you have the letter?_

Edward was worried this would happen. But he needed to have it, to show Jasper. He hated even thinking about lying to Bella at a point this early in the relationship, but he figured bending the truth couldn't make things much worse.

_Yeah, I guess I accidentally picked it up with the rest of my stuff this morning. Sorry love._

Edward thought for a second. He added:

_I won't give it to Emmett, I promise. ;) Love you._

Jasper leaned back in his chair. "Bella?"

"Yeah," Edward sighed. "She's looking for the letter. I told her I have it by accident."

The phone in Edward's hand buzzed again.

_OK. Please don't show anyone. Love you too. :D_

"I'm sure she's cool with everything." Jasper stood up. "Bella's really relaxed; it takes a lot to rile her up." He waved the James' letter, which had been sitting on the desk, in the air. "I mean, anyone else would be calling their police detective brother before they got to the second paragraph."

"So you don't think I'm overreacting?"

Jasper handed Edward the letter. "Nah, man. I get it. And I'm behind you."

A wave of relief washed over Edward. He never quite appreciated his roommate's calming influence as much as he did at that moment.

A patron walked up to the desk and stood behind Edward. Jasper cleared his throat. "I'll see you back at the apartment. Alice wants us over at their place at 9."

"Sounds good." Edward walked toward the exit and his car at the curb. He was headed to the bank with the check he'd just gotten from Jasper, then home, to attempt to work on his papers before the night's event. They were sure to be yet again memorable.

***

Edward watched as Bella and Alice exited their apartment hallway. He was leaning on the side of his Volvo; Jasper stood off to the side. Edward smiled at the outfit Bella was wearing; it had obviously not been her choice. The heels she was wearing, however, certainly did make her legs seem like they were miles long. The image, tinged with memories of the previous night, made Edward smile even larger. He pushed himself off the car and headed toward the passenger side door.

Edward opened the door with a flourish. He barely even noticed Alice ad Jasper making out on the sidewalk. Bella's smile was radiant.

"Thank you sir. You look extremely dashing tonight, Mr. Kent."

Edward placed a kiss on her outstretched hand. He'd worn the royal blue button down specifically for Bella. And her silly nicknames.

He walked around the car, clearing his throat theatrically as he reached the driver's door. Alice pulled herself away from Jasper and bounced toward the back seat. Jasper just shrugged at his friend and went to the other side.

Edward put the car in reverse and drove toward the club. Alice had somehow wrangled five spots on the guest list of a brand new club's opening night. Edward hoped he wouldn't get her kicked off the list for life.

The three passengers made conversation about the upcoming school year as Edward drove. He added his opinion occasionally, when specifically asked, but otherwise stayed within his own mind, mulling over what he was going to say.

He pulled up to the curb in front of Roaring to let Bella, Alice and Jasper out.

Alice spoke up. "Edward, valet's included tonight."

Edward shrugged and put the car in neutral, pulling on the parking break. He got out and handed his keys to the valet, then followed the rest of the group toward the front door.

"Wow," Bella exclaimed as they walked in. It was nothing Edward had expected. They weren't in 2009 any longer. The décor of the club belied a speak-easy in the 1920s, complete with waitresses in flapper dresses and security guards in zoot suits.

"I told you this place was spectacular," Alice beamed.

They walked toward an open table and sat down. They ordered period drinks from the waitress and then turned their attention to the stage, where a lounge singer with striking red hair and a smoky voice was signing the hits of Jazz greats.

The atmosphere was relaxing, but Edward just couldn't get rid of the nervous tension that had only been getting worse all day.

Bella leaned toward his ear. "What's wrong Edward? You're not all here." She looked into his eyes and Edward felt a little better.

"Nothing my love, no worries." Edward kissed the side of her mouth and attempted a smile.

The waitress returned and placed their drinks on the table.

"Whoa. Check that out." Alice pointed toward the entrance of the club.

Edward turned and looked along with the rest of the party sitting at the table. James had just entered. His shoulder-length blond hair was gone; he'd shaved his head down to the scalp.

"Dude's not really helping the whole menacing psycho thing with that new Lex Luthor 'do." Jasper scoffed before talking a drag on his scotch and soda.

Bella, sitting to his left, turned and glared. "Who told you?" She pointed at Edward. "You?" She turned to Alice before he could answer. "And did you invite him here?"

Edward leaned in and took her hand. "Bella, I'm sorry. I had to tell Jasper. I needed another male perspective." Bella tried to pull away, but Edward kept his grip. "Love, the letter scared me." Bella stopped struggling. Edward took a hold of her chin and made her look into his eyes. "I just wanted to talk to James. To explain that we are together now. To let him know that leaving letters like this on your door isn't appropriate, now or ever. I know you think he's harmless. I don't."

Bella bit her lip. "I … I … " She took a deep breath and started again. "I don't like that you called him here without my knowledge. But we do need to discuss the letter. And I am glad you're here for when I do it."

Bella stood up and walked toward James. Edward waited, allowing them a bit of time. He gripped the seat of his chair so hard his hands started to leave imprints.

James stopped when Bella reached him. Edward couldn't hear the conversation, but he could see the glare in James's eyes turn from annoyance to hatred. Edward watched as Bella reached out a hand to touch James' shoulder.

James raised his arm and brushed her hand off, pushing past her small frame and nearly knocking her into a group of people at the bar. Edward stood up, and heard both Jasper and Alice's chairs scrape the ground behind him. Someone growled.

James covered the ground to Edward in seconds. Edward stood up straight. He couldn't overpower James in muscle, but he had the advantage in height. He was going to use anything he had.

When he spoke, James was oddly calm. "Bella tells me you have made a pass at her."

"More than a pass, I'd say. She's my girlfriend, James. And you need to leave her alone. She's. Not. Interested." Edward punctuated each word as though it were a sentence, attempting to drive the point home. "The only reason I'm not calling the cops and telling them about your little letter is because Bella asked me not to."

James laughed. It was an uncomfortable sound. Nothing about it suggested humor.

James sneered. "You're much too weak to do _anything_ about it, _Ed-ward_." The way he drug out the syllables made it seem like an insult. "I was here first. Bella is mine."

"First of all, James. Bella is not property. She is her own person. If she happens to want to be with me, I am all the luckier for it. But she is not something to stake a claim on."

Edward's green eyes grew steely. "And secondly, while Clark Kent might be a pacifist," he reached up and pulled off his glasses, folded them and handed them to Bella, standing beside him. "Superman is most certainly not."

A chorus of gasps rang out and the room went silent.

_**APOV**_

_Holy crap! Edward just punched James!_

_**JPOV**_

_Good job Ed! That creep totally deserved it._

_**BPOV**_

_Holy crow. That should not be hot … but it totally was._

_**EPOV**_

Edward rubbed his knuckles. He'd never punched someone before. Good thing he'd remembered to keep his thumb out, and aim for the soft tissue. He thanked the gods for the element of surprise.

James leaned against the table he'd fallen into when Edward's fist connected with his face. He rubbed his cheekbone, which was already turning pink. "That was not a smart move." He moved toward Edward, arm pulled back and ready to fly.

A figure moved to step between the two men.

"James. Get out of here. I told you I'm not interested. You're just going to have to deal."

"Bella, please …"

"No." Bella turned and pointed at Edward. "You, go sit back down. I'll deal with you in a minute." She turned back toward James. "If you want what's best for me, you will leave. And you will get over this infatuation you have with me, or we can't be friends anymore. I am sorry if I've lead you on, but that's all we can be. That's all that could have ever come from this. Friends."

James's mouth dropped open. Edward struggled to hold back the huge grin that was threatening to erupt. He turned and watched Bella return to the table. She sat down and took a hold of his hand, making an obvious point. She leaned over and kissed Edward on the mouth, lingering longer than she needed.

Edward opened his eyes and smiled. He turned and looked, but James had gone. _Got the hint, finally. _The hand Bella wasn't holding started throbbing, but it had definitely been worth it.

Jasper held up a hand for a high-five. Alice winked at him, obviously pleased at the turn of events. She raised a hand and called over the waitress. "Four flutes of champagne, please. We're celebrating."

Bella laughed, then leaned in toward Edward's ear. "I love you," she whispered, so only he could hear. "But if you ever, EVER, pull a stunt like that again, I will totally tell everyone about your secret identity." She pulled back and poked him in the chest, grinning.

The End.

* * *

**A/N: This is the final installment of **_**Bad Boys and Book Nerds**_**. I know, it's *sadtimes* for me too. But know that all of your input and wonderful comments have absolutely made my year. I never expected to garner such a wonderful response when I started this "doodle" I'll continue to set foot in the world of fanfiction, so put me on your author alerts if you'd like to see what I have in store for you next. **

**Thanks to AHelm, my fantastic beta, for all she's done for me. I couldn't have done this without her.**

**As a thank you gift, I've made you all a present: The Bad Boys and Book Nerds Fanmix/Soundtrack. Check out my profile for the link.**

**Thanks again. Love to you all.**

**-Pants**


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